


Until Kingdom Come

by baeconandeggs, tinkerklang



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: BAE2017, M/M, Smut, age gap, mpreg (a little bit at the end)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-29
Updated: 2017-05-29
Packaged: 2018-11-06 07:42:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 34,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11031693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/baeconandeggs/pseuds/baeconandeggs, https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinkerklang/pseuds/tinkerklang
Summary: The Phoenix King of Joseon and the youngest Byun have been engaged for eighteen summers.





	Until Kingdom Come

**Author's Note:**

> AUTHOR: [tinkerklang (AFF)](https://www.asianfanfics.com/profile/view/380585)  
> PROMPT #: BAE109  
> 
> 
> Disclaimer: The celebrities' names/images are merely borrowed and do not represent who the celebrities are in real life. No offense is intended towards them, their families or friends. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this fictional work. No copyright infringement is intended.
> 
> Author's Note: Cliché, word vomit, poor smut, and more cliché… A huge thanks to my beta, Jam, and to the prompter! I am not an expert on Korean history, hence, the whole fic is loosely based on historical facts. Please enjoy and pardon the shortcomings of the fic!

  
  
“The young master is missing!”  
  
The servants quickly stopped what they were doing when they heard the scream from one of the slaves taking care of the youngest Byun. With hasty steps, the servants surveyed the Byun household. Losing the youngest Byun meant losing their lives. The Byun patriarch, who was known for his steel heart, was unforgiving, especially when it concerns his youngest. The youngest Byun always had a soft spot in their master’s heart. Clearly, he was the favorite child.  
  
“Did you find him?” A cleaning lady asked, “We need to find him soon before the master finds out!”  
  
The youngest Byun was just four summers old but he had already captured the whole household’s heart because of his adorable antics. With his chubby, red cheeks and his stumpy stature, the youngest Byun was loved dearly and was well protected by everyone. However, he was also quite naughty and had always caused a ruckus. Nonetheless, the servants adored the little Byun.  
  
“We need to alert the master!”  
  
“No we absolutely cannot!” Another servant vehemently disagreed, “The master is busy today. He needs to go to the palace for official matters. We cannot disturb him.”  
  
Their master, Byun Baekho, was one of the high ranking officials of the courts. He was the king’s favored advisor. With his wits, their master was able to help the king secure his throne when the Goryeo dynasty perished. Together with Byun Baekho, the king was able to establish the modern Joseon. Many were saying that their country would flourish even more with the king’s jurisdiction.  
  
Without the servants knowing, a small chuckle escaped the youngest Byun’s lips. He was currently under the dinner table, surveying the feet that were walking to and fro looking for him. Hide and seek had always been his favorite game. He used to play it with his father when he was younger, but once he turned three, his father turned busier, thus having no time for petty games. Baekhyun pouted at the thought. His father was always going to the palace.  
  
_Is the palace fun? Father always goes to that place._  
  
Cooking up his plan, Baekhyun decided that he would go with his father to the palace. _The palace sounds nice._ All the youngest Byun knew was that his father always rode the carriage to the palace. If he could sneak into the carriage, he could go to the palace and be with his father. He tried to tell his older brother, Baekbeom, about his plan but his older brother was busy with his studies. Baekhyun heard from the servants that his father was “grooming his brother to be his successor”.  
  
_Grooming? Isn’t that dressing up? His young mind asked in confusion. I don’t understand adults. They always speak in riddles._  
  
Once the kitchen was empty of the servants, Baekhyun crawled out of his hiding place, not minding that his robes are getting dirty by the floor. He was sure that the cleaning lady would scold him, but he didn’t care. There was a greater adventure waiting for him out there. He needed to see the palace – the place that kept his father from spending quality time with him.  
  
As stealthily as he could, Baekhyun reached the place where the carriage was waiting. His father was still dressing up. Baekhyun scrunched his face. _Could father breathe with all his robes on?_ Baekhyun never liked his robes because they always limited his movements. He wanted to run, to always be free. With all the layers of robes that his father was wearing to the palace, Baekhyun was sure that his father had a paltry space to move about.  
  
“Oh, it’s here!” Baekhyun exclaimed once he reached the carriage. Fortunately, the male servants were busy putting his father’s luggage on the back side of the carriage to notice the youngest Byun climbing and entering the carriage.  
  
Baekhyun pouted and put his index finger on his red lips as he eyed the two horses that would pull the carriage before entering, “Shhhhhh! Don’t tell anyone that Baekhyunnie is here.”  
  
Once inside, Baekhyun found a chest big enough to house his lithe body. Immediately, the little boy hid inside the chest. The intricate design, which included holes, of the chest let the young Byun see what was happening outside. Baekhyun could see the door of the carriage opening and his father taking a seat. A few minutes more and he could hear the neighing of the horses, a signal that they were at last travelling.  
  
It was a bumpy ride. Because of the mountainous terrain, the ride was not comfortable at all. _How could father endure this dizzying ride? Even my butt hurts from all these up and downs._ Baekhyun, at one time, bumped his forehead into the chest’s opening.  
  
“Owieeee,” Baekhyun mumbled as he tried soothing the pain on his forehead by caressing it. The young Byun wanted to go out and ask for his father to kiss away the pain but held back. Surely, his father would scold him and take him back to their household. Baekhyun didn’t want that. He wanted to see the palace.  
  
It was after a few more minutes when the bumpy ride finally stopped. Baekhyun peeked from the small holes to make sure that his father had already alighted the vehicle. Once he saw no one inside the carriage, the young Byun slowly went out of his hiding place and went down the carriage.  
  
“Is this the palace?” Baekhyun murmured to no one worriedly, “It’s so big! Baekhyunnie will get lost.”  
  
The young Byun shook his head at the thought, “No, no! Father said that Baekhyunnie is now a big boy. Baekhyunnie is courageous and brave.”  
  
There was no one in sight. The carriage was safely placed on the back side of the gated palace. Baekhyun had never seen so many households in one piece of huge land.  
  
“Which one is the palace?” Baekhyun asked in confusion. According to what he heard from the servants, the palace was where the king lives with his family. The young Byun was expecting just one big household; he was not expecting for two… three… tens of them! Back at their home, there was the main home which houses him, his brother, his father and his mother and the servants’ quarters that are smaller versions and less grander version of the main house.  
  
But in here, everything was grand and big.  
  
Taking in a deep breath, Baekhyun raised his robes and walked as fast as he could without tripping. His etiquette teacher had always stressed the importance of good posture. Baekhyun scrunched his forehead at the recall of his old, strict teacher. The little boy had always been afraid of his teacher. When he was younger, he always cried whenever he was scolded. But since he was now a big boy, Baekhyun tried to keep in his sobbing.  
  
His small feet took him into what seemed like a pavilion. It was just small. Baekhyun had seen bigger pavilions. The structure was shaped like a fan and was built near a lake. The lake was beautiful for it was in bloom. Lotus flowers filled the man-made pond while the sun shined down upon the waters, making the lake look like sparkling just like his mother’s precious diamonds.  
  
It was hot, Baekhyun noticed. With his sweaty robes, the young Byun wanted to feel the air. Carefully, Baekhyun climb up to the pavilion. The structure was open, letting the warm summer air breeze through Baekhyun’s silky hair. The toddler closed his eyes at the sensation.  
  
Baekhyun had always had a love-hate relationship with the blazing summer sun. He loved it because it allowed him to strip down his robes into one layer, but at the same time, he hated it because it was the reason why he could not play outside as long as he could. It was hot. His mother would never allow him to play under the summer sun for more than an hour.  
  
Sitting down at the edge of the pavilion, Baekhyun swayed his legs along with the breeze. He was facing the pond and was throwing rocks at the waters. He tried to copy his brother who taught him how to skip rocks, but he failed miserably. He pouted. Baekhyun could never get how to skip rocks.  
  
“I should ask brother to teach Baekhyunnie again next time,” Baekhyun sighed.  
  
“Who are you?”  
  
A commanding voice startled Baekhyun. The little Byun jumped up and was not able to calculate his distance from the edge of the pavilion. Baekhyun screamed as he felt his body fall down the almost three-meter high structure. The young Byun closed his eyes as he heard the slush of the water. He was crying. He knew he was crying. He had always been afraid of the waters. They were deep and the little boy didn’t know what lies in them. They were just nice to look at from afar, but Baekhyun never really liked going in them.  
  
He didn’t know how to swim. His father and brother never bothered to teach him.  
  
Baekhyun flailed his hands and legs to keep himself afloat but his robes were preventing him. He tried to open his mouth to ask for help but water welcomed him. Baekhyun coughed as he consumed the water. He could feel the burn on his throat and in his nostrils. He tried so hard to gasp for air but it was futile. Slowly, he was losing his breath. He could feel his lungs begging for oxygen. He could feel his eyes burn at the tears. He could feel himself slowly surrendering to oblivion.  
  
The young Byun closed his eyes as his body was falling to the depths of the pond when he heard the splash of the water. Warm hands found themselves on Baekhyun’s little body, pulling the boy to the safe ground. Baekhyun coughed water out as he tried to fill his lungs with air. The warm hands that saved him were now slowly caressing his back, patting him gently as he vomited the water he just consumed.  
  
“Are you okay, little one?” A deep voice asked.  
  
Baekhyun squinted his eyes and looked at the man. He was a teenager, the little Byun concluded. The stranger must be the same age as his brother for both had the same stature. The stranger was wearing a navy blue robe – the cloths and the intricate embroideries were far grander than Baekhyun’s. A scowl was painted on the older man’s face. Worry was evident in his eyes.  
  
“W-who are you?” Baekhyun asked sacredly after his coughing fit. His father always warned him never to talk to strangers.  
  
“I’m the prince,” the stranger said gently, “And you, little one, who are you?”  
  
“I’m Baekhyunnie,” the boy answered as he smiled warmly. His mother told him that he should smile whenever he introduces himself, “Waaah! Baekhyunnie wants to be a prince too when he grows up!”  
  
“Baekhyunnie?” The stranger asked as his brows furrowed further as if he was trying to recall something.  
  
Baekhyun was about to tell the stranger about his father when a frantic voice interrupted them.  
  
“Byun Baekhyun!”  
  
The young Byun excitedly looked for the source of the voice and ran towards it when he found his father standing near the pond. As soon as he reached his father, the old Byun caged Baekhyun in his arms and rained kisses on his forehead. Baekhyun giggled at the ticklish feel of his father’s beard.  
  
“What did you do?” His father scolded him, “Why did you leave the household?”  
  
Baekhyun casted his droopy eyes downward, “I-I’m sorry, father.”  
  
“Are you okay? You almost drowned, Byun Baekhyun!” His father continued, “No more going out until winter, you understand?”  
  
Baekhyun sighed and nodded as he hid his face on his father’s shoulders. His adventure for today was taking a toll on his young body. He was tired and was scared. Sleep was slowly taking over him. His father promptly carried the toddler and walked towards the drenched prince.  
  
“Your Highness,” Baekho bowed at the crown prince, “I apologize for the ruckus that my youngest had done. Thank you for saving his life. I would be forever indebted to you. Whatever you wish for, as long as it is within my power and jurisdiction, I would do it for you.”  
  
Baekho knew the crown prince. He was one of the of the king’s official in interstate affairs. Prince Chanyeol currently being groomed as the next king. The lad, although young at thirteen summers old, had a commanding presence. Standing at a height greater than most men, young Prince Chanyeol had a dominating aura. The prince also looked good. His black silky hair was swept on the side. His proud nose was the envy of many. His eyes were almond-shaped and had the perfect shade of ebony. His lips were thin and were naturally pinkish.  
  
His greatest feature, though, was his remarkable ears which he inherited from his father, the king.  
  
“Is Baekhyunnie your son, official Byun?” Chanyeol asked as he eyed the toddler on the official’s arms. The boy was looking at Chanyeol from his father’s shoulders. His eyes dropping down as he tried to fight the sleepiness away. The young Byun was also sucking his thumb, highlighting his rosy lips and cheeks.  
  
Baekhyunnie felt like sunshine. Chanyeol gently smiled at the thought.  
  
“Yes,” Baekho nodded, “His name is Byun Baekhyun and he is currently forty-eight months.”  
  
“Take good care of Baekhyun,” Chanyeol said firmly as he eyed the young boy who completely surrendered to sleep warmly, caressing those chubby cheeks, “When the right time comes, I’ll come for him.”  
  
Park Chanyeol’s statement only meant one thing and Byun Baekho clearly knew what it was.  
  
Byun Baekho just stood aghast at the young prince’s statement.  
  
  
  
  
  
“The prince has arrived,” a servant informed Baekho who was enjoying his afternoon tea. The aged man scrunched his forehead a little at the statement. He was fond of the crown prince – for Chanyeol was a good kid – but Baekho still cannot accept that his son would be taken by the crown prince once his little one turns eighteen. The thought still leaves a bitter tang, ruining his supposed to be peaceful afternoon. Even his favorite tea turned bitter – he grimaced as he took a sip.  
  
It had been three summers since the prince had shown his fondness for Baekhyun, and every year, the prince would always take a weeklong vacation to spend time Baekhyun.  
  
Baekho disliked those weeks. Terribly. During those weeks, his little one would ignore his father in favor of gaining the prince’s attention. Baekhyun liked his _Chanyeolie-hyung_ so much that his little one never stopped talking about the prince until the royal’s next visit. His little one had always looked forward to summers. Baekhyun would always count the days, pestering his own father on how long he had to wait until his favorite hyung arrives.  
  
After the servant announced the arrival, a soft gasp escaped from the little boy sitting next to him who was enjoying his pastries earlier.  
  
“Chanyeolie-hyung is here!” Baekhyun, who was already seven summers old, quickly stood up and pulled his father along, “Quick, father! Hyung is here!”  
  
Baekho just sighed.  
  
Baekhyun was happiest whenever Chanyeol was visiting their household. Baekho smiled at the thought. In a way, he was thankful to Chanyeol for making his little one happy. Baekhyun had the brightest smile whenever Chanyeol was nearby.  
  
Chanyeol was Baekhyun’s happiness.  
  
“Hyung!” The little one shouted as the doors revealed the taller crown prince. Escaping from his father’s hold, the youngest Byun launched himself towards their visitor.  
  
Baekhyun did not even reach Chanyeol when he suddenly tripped because of his long robes. Chanyeol, with a long stride, quickly opened his arms to catch the little one. The little Byun giggled as he clutched onto his hyung’s arms. Baekho and Chanyeol both heaved a relieved sigh. Baekhyun was pure trouble. They can’t even let their sights off the little one since danger had always gravitated towards the child.  
  
“Baekhyun,” Baekho firmly said, “What did I tell you about running around the halls?”  
  
The little Byun smiled sheepishly at his father and mumbled a little sorry. Just like Baekho expected, Baekhyun promptly turned his attention back to the prince, his head tilted up and his eyes bright.  
  
“Hyung! Let’s play?”  
  
Chanyeol chuckled while ruffling the tiny sprout’s raven locks, “Did you study well?”  
  
Baekhyun pouted, “I did. I learned how to write my name. I hated writing my name. It’s too long!”  
  
Baekho cleared his throat to get the two kids’ attention, “Your Highness, I believe we have something to talk about.”  
  
At the mention of the inevitable talk, the Byun patriarch saw the prince’s face darkened. Baekho could feel his son’s confused gaze. Baekhyun was still just seven summers old. His little one would never understand what was going to happen – something that would definitely change the course of the child’s life. Baekho knew it would be hard especially on Baekhyun’s part. His son was still a child. He was too young and far too innocent to involved in the matters of the palace.  
  
The prince nodded and placed his hands on the youngest Byun’s shoulders. The smaller knew that pose: Chanyeolie-hyung would say something related to adults that Baekhyun had always have a hard time comprehending.  
  
“Listen, sunshine,” Chanyeol said as he smiled at the little one, “Your father and I have something to discuss so I might not be able to play with you today.”  
  
Baekhyun’s supple lips began to curve downwards, “Okay.”  
  
“But hey,” Chanyeol said as he pinched the younger’s button nose, “We have the whole week to play together. What do you say?”  
  
“Really?! The whole week?” Baekhyun hopefully asked.  
  
Whenever Chanyeol visits for a week, they only have at most four days of play time. The other days of the week were spent with the prince and his father doing their adult business. Baekhyun never really had an idea on what the two were talking or doing. When he asked his father, he was told that it was about the state of the palace. Baekhyun never really understand what state meant. He made a mental note to ask his tutor about the foreign word.  
  
“Yup. I promise,” the prince held out his pinky finger.  
  
“You promised, hyung!” Baekhyun excitedly curled his pinky with the taller’s, “It’s a promise!”  
  
“Okay, that’s enough now, Baekhyun,” the Byun patriarch interrupted, “Your tutor is now looking for you. Break time is over. I’m sure you will be with your hyung later for dinner.”  
  
Baekhyun nodded and happily trudged towards his study room, “I’ll see you later, Chanyeolie-hyung!”  
  
Once the little Byun was out of sight, Baekho noticed that the tender and loving look on the prince’s face was gone. Instead, Prince Chanyeol was sporting a hard look. His eyes were firm. His lips were in a thin straight line. The smile he had was gone. He had a dominating stance. His robes, which were way simpler than normal, did not conceal the power that the young lad had.  
  
In front of him was not Baekhyun’s Chanyeolie-hyung, it was Prince Chanyeol, the first in line to the throne – the king’s favorite son.  
  
Baekho bowed in greeting, “Welcome to our humble abode, Your Highness.”  
  
“There’s no need for that, Official Byun,” Chanyeol dismissed, “We have a lot to talk about.”  
  
“Indeed,” Baekho nodded, “Let’s talk in the meeting room.”  
  
The two went inside the familiar room. Ever since the prince first met Baekhyun, Chanyeol had been a constant visitor. The prince did not miss even one summer. As the next in line to the throne, Chanyeol had a rigorous training. From studying to learning how to use his sword and kill, the prince was expected to learn everything. Despite his busy schedule, Chanyeol was able to squeeze time – a week during the summers – to visit and stay with Baekhyun.  
  
With his long years of experience, Baekho was confident that the throne will be Chanyeol’s.  
  
The crown was a heavy burden to carry. Baekho had seen blood spilled amongst brothers because of greed for power. Being the crown prince was never an assurance that the crown would be Chanyeol’s. The prince had to be on guard if he plans to keep the crown on his head.  
  
The first rule that Baekho learned was that never to trust anyone in the palace.  
  
“My brother’s mother is plotting against me,” Chanyeol started, “I’m sure you have heard about the inner struggle in the palace.”  
  
Baekho nodded. Even though he was a retired advisor, he still had ears and eyes in the palace. The Byun patriarch had stayed in the palace for far too long, making connections with the people inside it. Additionally, Baekho was still loyal to the king, to Chanyeol’s father. The king had always been a dear friend.  
  
“Are you… perhaps…?” Baekho knew it was coming, but it was too soon. Baekhyun would surely be heartbroken once he hears the news.  
  
Chanyeol nodded, “It is one way to secure the throne. I need to leave Joseon to learn and train for the future.”  
  
“Then, you must go, Your Highness,” Baekho said as he slowly caressed his beard, “Do you already have a date in mind?”  
  
It was the logical choice. Baekho had weighed the pros and cons of Chanyeol leaving Joseon. The outer lands, the great empire of the faraway land, would be a good training ground for the crown prince. He had heard about the prosperous empire. If Chanyeol learns their way, it would leverage the prince over his brothers. A good king must be knowledgeable in all things, and the best way to acquire wisdom is to experience it.  
  
“I’m leaving after a week.”  
  
Baekho opened his mouth only to close it again.  
  
“I need your help, official Byun,” Chanyeol said, “I will leave Baekhyun for a while… for how long, even I do not know. Please, take care of him for me.”  
  
“If that is your will, Your Highness,” Baekho nodded, “Will you tell him about your departure? I’m sure that my son will not take this lightly.”  
  
“I would tell him soon.”  
  
Baekho sighed. He just hoped that his little one would be appeased with his favorite pastries when the prince finally tells him about his departure.  
  
But somehow, somewhere deep in his heart, Baekho felt that something huge will happen soon.  
  
  
  
  
  
Dinner at the Byuns that night was lively because of the little Byun who was raving about his favorite dishes. Not sitting still, Baekhyun held onto his chopsticks tightly as he tried to put his favorite dishes onto his hyung’s plate. Baekhyun heard from the servants that his hyung traveled far and that he might be tired. The little one wanted to ease the prince’s fatigue by making sure that his hyung was eating enough. Recently, he learned from his tutor that eating gives people energy… and Chaneyolie-hyung needed it.  
  
“Baekhyun stay still,” his father reprimanded him but he paid no heed. His hyung’s needs were more important.  
  
“It’s okay, sunshine,” Chanyeol chuckled as Baekhyun pouted when the shrimp slipped out of his chopsticks as he was putting it onto the taller’s plate, “I can get my own food. You need to eat too.”  
  
“Okay,” Baekhyun gave up. He was tired anyway. His arms were too short so he needed to exert more effort to transport the main dishes onto the older’s plate. Furthermore, Baekhyun was still learning how to use his chopsticks properly. It was still difficult for him to control the sticks, but his father said that he was a fast learner. Baekhyun smiled brightly at the thought.  
  
“Hyung!” Baekhyun gasped as he remembered something, “After dinner, please read me a bedtime story!”  
  
“Sure,” Chanyeol smiled at the little Byun, “Which story would you like?”  
  
“I like that story about the courageous prince!” Baekhyun exclaimed, “When I grow up, I want to be as courageous as he is.”  
  
“I’m sure you’re going to grow up like him, my courageous one,” Baekhyun’s father commented, “You’re already sleeping on your own.”  
  
Baekhyun pouted at the remembrance. It has been almost over a year since he started to sleep in his own quarters. His mother, who was currently out of town to visit her family, decided that it was time for the young child to sleep on his own. The little Byun grew up sleeping beside his mother and father. Now, he was deemed old enough, he had to fight the night monsters on his own. Although, occasionally, he still slips inside his parents’ blanket whenever his fear of the darkness consumes him.  
  
Dinner was accompanied by a hearty conversation – mostly of Baekhyun telling stories to prince. His Chanyeolie-hyung missed a lot since they had not seen each other for a whole year. Baekhyun was adamant on keeping the prince updated with his life. He talked about everything: from his strict tutor to his desire for a pet. Baekhyun had recently seen his distant relatives and one older cousin had a pony for a pet.  
  
“You want a pet?” The prince asked.  
  
Baekhyun nodded and pouted, “But father forbids me to have one. He told me that I am too young to have one.”  
  
“Please don’t encourage him,” Baekhyun’s father pleaded the prince. Knowing the royal, Baekho was certain that Chanyeol would grant Baekhyun’s whims in a blink of an eye. The little Byun had somehow managed to capture the prince’s adoration. Every visit, the teenage prince would bring gifts to shower Baekho’s little one. Baekhyun, of course, was elated every time.  
  
The prince just smiled, turning back to Baekhyun, “Do you want to go to the moon festival at the end of the week? I heard there is goldfish scooping. We can get as many fish as you like and you get to keep them as pets.”  
  
“Goldfish scooping?” Baekhyun’s forehead scrunched at the words, “What is that, hyung?”  
  
“It’s a game where you have a small net to scoop goldfishes. You’ll see it when we get there at the end of the week.”  
  
“Okay,” the little Byun smiled brightly, “I can’t wait for it!”  
  
Baekhyun was not new to the moon festival. It was a festival for the summer gods since crop farming would commence soon. It was their way of praying to the gods for a good harvest. Baekhyun loved the festival. It was beautiful, the sky lights up with thousands of flying lanterns. However, the little one had never seen the festival outside the safety of their household. Since he was still too young, his father deemed that it could be dangerous for him.  
  
But not this year. This year, he was granted permission to attend the festival with his Chanyeolie-hyung. Baekhyun was thrilled. Although he had been outside their household, Baekhyun never saw the capital during the moon festival. From what his tutor told him, people from distant lands would also go to the capital to celebrate the festival. Because of this, the capital is always packed and full.  
  
After dinner, Baekhyun was sent back to his room to wash his face and get ready for bed. The tiny Byun pouted at his father, begging him to postpone his bedtime into a later time. Chanyeol just laughed at the young Byun.  
  
“I’ll read you a bedtime story, don’t worry,” Chanyeol coaxed Baekhyun, “Hyung will stay with you until you fall asleep. Kids like you should sleep on time so you will grow as tall as me.”  
  
“Really?” The little one asked in wonderment, “Will I be as tall as you, Chanyeolie-hyung?”  
  
“Of course,” the prince smiled at him softly while gently ruffling the younger’s silky hair, “You’ll grow as tall as me.”  
  
Baekhyun, with a small wave of goodbye, went to his bedroom with a servant. With giddy steps, Baekhyun rushed towards his bedroom, telling the servant to go faster. The quicker he gets to his bedroom, the quicker he finishes washing his face. Then, his hyung would read him a bedtime story.  
  
_Reading seems to be really hard._ Baekhyun sighed. He still didn’t know how to read, but he was working hard on it.  
  
Once he entered his bathroom, Baekhyun got the foot stool made just for him and settled it on the floor, placing it just a few away from the sink. He was too short to reach the sink, hence the stool. A bucket of water was laid on the sink by the servant. Baekhyun quickly held onto the sink while the servant wiped his face with a cloth that was drenched with soap and water.  
  
“Noona, please hurry up!”  
  
The servant just laughed at the young master. Everyone in the household knew how much Baekhyun adored his hyung. Prince Chanyeol, who was rarely seen, was a constant visitor in the Byun household every summer time. At first, the servants were wary of the prince – he was a royal, after all. One wrong move and they can lose their lives. However, the prince proved to be compassionate. The servants were able to see a new side of him: caring and affectionate.  
  
Everyone in the household knew how much the prince adored their little master.  
  
After clothing Baekhyun with his sleep wear, the little one quickly went out of his room to go his hyung’s. The prince, whenever he visited, would always stay in the room right in front of the young Byun’s.  
  
“Hyung!” Baekhyun exclaimed as he opened the door to his hyung’s room, “I’m done!”  
  
“Oh?”  
  
His hyung was sitting on a chair. He was holding a book and had that serious face on. Chanyeol placed the book he was reading on the table to revert his full attention to Baekhyun.  
  
“Come, come, come,” Baekhyun chanted as he tightly held onto his hyung’s much bigger hand, “Read me a bedtime story now.”  
  
The prince just shook his head as he smiled at the younger who was bouncing his way to his own quarters. The small hand that was tightly holding onto his bigger one was comforting. Chanyeol tightened his hold onto Baekhyun’s small hand when the thought of leaving the little one for a long time entered his mind. It was the last time he could hold onto him for he would be gone indefinitely. It was the last time he would be able to see that bright smile painted onto the younger’s face.  
  
“Hyung?” Baekhyun tilted his head at the older, “Are you still there?”  
  
The younger took him out of his reverie. Chanyeol chuckled and ruffled the younger’s silky hair. He was too deep into his thoughts that he did not notice they were already in the little Byun’s quarters.  
  
“Shall I tuck you in now?” Chanyeol asked in which Baekhyun responded with an overzealous nod. The little Byun quickly went on his bed and patted the space next to him, prompting the prince to take his place. Once the two were comfortable, Chanyeol started to read the book Baekhyun had prepared. It was an old Chinese mythology book. Chanyeol chuckled. Baekhyun genuinely loved mythology.  
  
“Shall we start now, hyung?” Baekhyun asked. He was lying on his side, facing Chanyeol who was his left, in a fetal position. The latter, in turn, was also lying on his side and had his head propped in the palm of his left hand. The book was laid in between the two bodies.  
  
“This is the story of the Chinese moon goddess Chung’e,” the prince started. He knew that story. As a prince, Chanyeol had been learning literature and poetry of the distant lands. It tells the tale of the immortal moon goddess, her mortal lover, and their painful separation. Chanyeol wanted to chuckle dryly. What an irony. Somehow, the story forebodes his upcoming departure.  
  
“Chang’e was a mortal before she became the moon goddess,” Chanyeol continued, “Her husband, Yi, was a sterling archer. One day, their village suffered under the fiery ten suns.”  
  
Baekhyun gasped, “Ten suns?! I love the sun and summers, but I think ten suns are too much!”  
  
“Yes, ten suns,” Chanyeol chuckled, “The ten suns shone brightly over the village, thus bringing drought to the community. People were dying of starvation and heat. The suns had scorched the earth and caused hardship to people. Yi, to save his people, shot nine suns down, leaving just one.  
  
“That’s a good decision,” the little Byun commented, “People still need the sunshine, right, hyung?”  
  
“Yes, they do. People need the warmth to survive,” the prince nodded and continued the story, “Because of Yi’s bravery, the people decided to give him the elixir of life.”  
  
“What’s that?” Baekhyun tilted his head in confusion. It was the first time that he heard those words.  
  
“It is like a potion. If you drink it, you get to live forever,” Chanyeol explained patiently. Baekhyun had always been a curious kid.  
  
“But living forever seems lonely if you do not have someone with you.”  
  
Chanyeol just bopped the smaller’s button nose, “That is why Yi didn’t drink it and hid it instead. He did not want to live forever or gain immortality without his beloved wife Chang’e. However, one afternoon, Yi went hunting, leaving Chang’e in their abode. A greedy man suddenly invaded their home in hopes of stealing the elixir of life from Chang’e. Chang’e, without a choice, drank the potion herself.”  
  
“Oh, Yi would be saddened,” the little Byun pouted.  
  
“You’re right. You’re really knowledgeable, Baekhyunnie,” Chanyeol commended the smaller. The latter smiled brightly in response.  
  
“Continue, hyung.”  
  
“Chang’e didn’t want to disappoint her husband and decided to fly to the moon. She built a palace on it and named it the Moon Palace. Chang’e started to live in isolation. Yi, who was on the Earth, offered her favorite fruits and cakes every summer. Yi started the first moon ritual. Today, we celebrate it as the moon festival or the summer festival.”  
  
Chanyeol sighed and closed the book as he finished the story. It was not a story fit for children, but it was the book that Baekhyun had chosen. The complexities of the ideas of love and immortality were making the story difficult to digest.  
  
“That’s it?” Baekhyun asked in confusion, “They didn’t get back together?”  
  
“No, sunshine,” the prince ruffled the smaller’s hair, “They could not be together anymore. Chang’e needs to leave Yi because she loves him.”  
  
“I don’t understand,” Baekhyun said, “Leaving means being unhappy. They were not happy.”  
  
“Oh, I bet they were not… but they still made a way to show their love for each other.”  
  
“How?”  
  
“Yi offers her favorite fruits and cakes while Chang’e continues to watch over Yi.”  
  
“But they are still apart,” Baekhyun mumbled sleepily as he scooted closer to his hyung, burying his face on the crook of the taller’s neck. “I don’t want to be ever apart from you, hyung.”  
  
Chanyeol stilled at the innocent statement. How would the little Byun react once he learns about his hyung’s departure? The prince sighed as he ran his fingers through the smaller’s silky black hair, lulling Baekhyun to sleep. Chanyeol did not want to leave, but he had to. Being the crown prince, he had a duty to their kingdom. Baekhyun was still too young to understand why Chanyeol must leave.  
  
But he made sure to comeback. Chanyeol made a promise to himself to go back no matter how long it would take. Baekhyun was his precious one.  
  
A few more minutes and Chanyeol found Baekhyun already asleep. Chanyeol smiled as he caressed the pinkish chubby cheek. With gentle movements, the prince kissed the little Byun’s forehead and said his goodnight, “Sleep tight, sunshine.”  
  
It didn’t take long for Chanyeol to follow Baekhyun to dreamland.  
  
  
  
  
  
The capital was packed.  
  
People from lands all over the kingdom went to the capital to celebrate the moon festival. The vibrant atmosphere was apparent for people donned colorful hanboks. Baekhyun was wearing a children’s yellow hanbok which was given by Chanyeol himself. The older told him that the color reminded him of the little Byun. He was, after all, the prince’s sunshine. The prince, on the other hand, was wearing a navy blue silk hanbok with a similar style with the younger’s.  
  
Some people were also wearing different masks. It was believed that these masks ward off the evil spirit and bad luck during shamanistic ceremonies. Although not required, Chanyeol and Baekhyun wore masks to fully immerse themselves in the festival. Chanyeol did not want to attract attention. The masks were a good tool to hide his identity.  
  
The festival was held at night. The streets were filled with lanterns while the houses were brightly lighted. Baekhyun’s eyes twinkled as he roamed his eyes around. He had never seen the capital as luminous as that moment. The lanterns were made from different colored papers, thus illuminating different colors. The sky also shined with its thousand twinkling lights.  
  
“It’s so beautiful!” Baekhyun exclaimed.  
  
Chanyeol just nodded at the smaller and smiled. It was Baekhyun’s first time to see the capital during the festival. Although the younger’s father was hesitant to let Baekhyun go to the capital, Chanyeol was able to convince him. He promised that he would take care and look after the little one. Besides, Baekhyun promised his father that he would be careful and never let go of Chanyeol’s hand.  
  
Baekhyun did not want get lost in the sea of people.  
  
Because of this, the little Byun held onto his hyung’s hand tightly.  
  
The past days were spent with Baekhyun latching onto his hyung. The two were inseparable. They played together as Baekhyun insisted. They went to visit the farmlands – it was Baekhyun’s first time to see and harvest the greeneries. They made pastries together (even though Baekho was against it at first because he could not let the crown prince do work in the kitchen). Chanyeol did everything that Baekhyun requested.  
  
For it was the last time they would be able to do so.  
  
Chanyeol squeezed the smaller’s hand at the thought. After that night, when the morning comes, Chanyeol needed to depart indefinitely.  
  
“Oh what is that?” Baekhyun’s eyes widened as they came across a crowd.  
  
Children of Baekhyun’s age were swarming a stall, squealing at the little show that was happening. It was the goldfish scooping. A small but long manmade aquarium was placed in the middle while the children were crouching down with their little nets, swishing their arms as they try to catch the fishes. Grunts filled the crowded space as the sea dwellers were difficult to catch.  
  
“Do you want to try?” Chanyeol looked down at the little Byun. Baekhyun’s eyes were bright when he nodded vigorously, amplifying his excitement.  
  
Chanyeol gently pulled the little one to the old man who was in charge of the stall. Paying with a few coins, the prince was able to secure a net for his little sunshine. As soon as he handed it down to Baekhyun, the smaller immediately went to the aquarium to catch the goldfishes. Chanyeol just watched Baekhyun, letting out cheers every now and then.  
  
Baekhyun tried to swing his short arms, but the fishes swam swiftly that his arm could not keep up. The younger one bit his lower lip in concentration after he huffed out in frustration. Baekhyun tried again and again, but it was a failure. With a pout, he looked up to Chanyeol who was chuckling at the red-faced Baekhyun.  
  
“Is it hard?” Chanyeol asked as he ruffled the little Byun’s hair.  
  
“The fishes are really smart,” Baekhyun defended, “I’m just a kid. They knew how to outsmart kids.”  
  
The prince laughed loudly at the statement, “You have short arms, sunshine, that’s why they outrun you. Do you want hyung to catch for you?”  
  
“No,” Baekhyun shook his head, “I want to catch them on my own.”  
  
The prince just let the little one. Baekhyun was really determined to do it on his own. Chanyeol could not help but feel a little bit nostalgic. Baekhyun used to ask Chanyeol to do things for him. When the little Byun was younger, he would sweetly ask Chanyeol to help in with his little tasks such as combing his hair and putting on his own robes. Now that Baekhyun was getting older, his dependency onto his favorite hyung has evidently decreased.  
  
On one hand, Chanyeol was happy that Baekhyun was learning to be independent. But on the other, the prince was afraid that Baekhyun would grow up too soon until he reached a point where he would not need Chanyeol anymore.  
  
“Your Highness,” one of the prince’s private guard whispered as he bowed his head, “We have searched the perimeter. One of your brothers is here in the capital.”  
  
Chanyeol’s eyes hardened at the statement, “Which brother is it?”  
  
The guard, who was also blending in with the common citizens, answered, “The second.”  
  
The crown prince sighed. His older brother, the second, was a bad omen. Although younger, Chanyeol had been chosen to be the crown prince because of his mother’s status.  
  
“Where is he?”  
  
“He’s near the lake with his private army,” the guard reported.  
  
Chanyeol clenched his fists. The second prince was older than Chanyeol by a few years. The two never got along well. The second prince’s mother was banished from the palace because of a political issue. From what the queen, Chanyeol’s mother, had said, the family of the second prince’s mother was planning on returning to the palace through any means possible – including getting back the crown.  
  
“Why is he here?” Chanyeol asked, eyes never leaving Baekhyun who was just a few feet away from him.  
  
“He’s here on the king’s command.”  
  
“Why did he bring his private army?” The prince squinted his eyes in suspicion, “This is an official celebration. As a prince, he should be bringing the palace’s army not his own private army.”  
  
“Your Highness, I have no idea why the second prince brought his own army.”  
  
“I need to talk to him,” Chanyeol firmly said as he eyed Baekhyun who was squealing and laughing with other kids. He could not ruin this for Baekhyun. It was Baekhyun’s first festival and Chanyeol wanted that day to be special – not to be ruined by his own brother.  
  
“Never take your eyes off of Baekhyun,” Chanyeol ordered the guard. Somehow, he regretted not taking more than one palace guard with him.  
  
“Yes, Your Highness,” the guard bowed. Chanyeol, then, quickly went to the lake to confront his brother, promising himself that it would not take long. Since the little Byun was still preoccupied with his fish scooping, Chanyeol deemed it the perfect time to talk to his older brother.  
  
Baekhyun was smiling as one of his peers was able to catch one small goldfish. The sight of his friends squealing over the catch motivated him to do better. The little Byun also wanted to show his hyung that he was now a grown boy who could catch his own fishes. Holding onto his net tightly, Baekhyun glided his arms on the surface of the water, watching as the fishes started to swim away quickly.  
  
“Oh oh oh!” Baekhyun cheered as one unfortunate fish was not able to swim away, “I caught one!”  
  
At his outburst, the children started crowding him, watching as the fish squirms in his net. The old man who was in charge of the stall quickly put Baekhyun’s goldfish inside a jar filled with water. As soon as the jar was handed down to Baekhyun, his eyes wandered to find his hyung.  
  
There were many children crowding on him, but Baekhyun was sure that his hyung was missing. His eyes scored the place, but the tall man was not there to be seen. Fear started creeping into his heart. Holding onto the jar tightly, Baekhyun squeezed his way out of the crowd of children and started running away. Looking left and right for his hyung as tears clouded his sight.  
  
“Hyung!” The little Byun shouted with all his might, “Chanyeolie hyung!”  
  
His cries were unanswered. People were bumping onto the small kid, hissing at him for being in the middle of the road. Fat tears ran down his plump cheeks. The thought of never seeing his hyung and never going home again was consuming him. He did not want to be left alone. He did not want to be lost.  
  
With tears completely distorting his vision, Baekhyun just charged forward and completely missed someone who was going to his way.  
  
“Ouchie,” the little Byun whispered as he slammed straight onto another person.  
  
Baekhyun saw the person’s sandals first. His feet were huge, the little one noted. His eyes travelled upwards. The stranger’s robes were all too familiar. The little Byun knew that he had seen those designs somewhere. Baekhyun’s lips trembled as he saw the face. The face looked eerily familiar with his Chanyeolie hyung. At first, he thought it was his hyung, but at the second look, Baekhyun noticed that the stranger was not his favorite hyung.  
  
At the thought of his hyung, Baekhyun again began to cry, mumbling apologies to the stranger he bumped into.  
  
“It’s okay, little one,” soothing voice filled the air.  
  
The stranger was supposed to wipe the tears off Baekhyun’s face when a hand slapped his arm away.  
  
“Don’t.”  
  
Baekhyun quickly turned around upon hearing the voice. As soon as he saw his hyung, the little Byun immediately ran and hugged him.  
  
“Hyung!” Baekhyun sobbed, his tears wetting Chanyeol’s robes, “Baekhyun was very scared.”  
  
The prince hugged the little one tightly and carried him as he whispered his apologies, “Shhh, don’t cry, sunshine. Hyung is really sorry for leaving you.”  
  
The little one buried his face onto the older’s neck, hiccupping.  
  
“It’s nice to see you here, Chanyeol,” the stranger suddenly said, “I would not have known it was you until you’ve spoken. That’s a nice mask you’re sporting.”  
  
“Taeho hyung,” the prince acknowledged, “Why did you bring your private army to the kingdom’s official festival.”  
  
“The palace army is too loyal,” Taeho smirked, “They are too loyal to the family sitting on the throne.”  
  
“Not here, hyung,” Chanyeol darkly said, “This is a public place.”  
  
“I won’t do anything,” Taeho shrugged his shoulders, “If I cause trouble, it will only ruin my image. Don’t worry, younger brother.”  
  
“Please, leave us alone,” the crown prince stated with authority.  
  
“Ah, I can’t do that,” Taeho walked closer to Chanyeol, “I’m here on official palace orders.”  
  
Once Taeho was only a few inches away from Chanyeol, the older smiled – too innocently for Chanyeol’s taste. The two brothers were almost the same built, but the younger was a few centimeters taller. Among the princes, the two looked similar the most. They have bushy eyebrows, almond eyes, and a proud nose. The two looked very much like their father, the king, and the two were also favored by their father.  
  
“Go on, brother,” Taeho raised his chin, “I think Baekhyunnie here – is that the little one’s name – wants to see the flying lanterns tonight.”  
  
Chanyeol’s adam’s apple bobbed as his eyes squinted. His jaws were locked set while his lips were in a straight line. Clearly, the crown prince was not happy. He could see how Taeho eyed Baekhyun. Chanyeol knew his brother. His brother was cunning and crafty. God knows what his brother could do with Baekhyun. Taeho would use anything against Chanyeol.  
  
Not wanting to cause more trouble, Chanyeol turned around to leave. Baekhyun’s head was still laying on his shoulder. The little one was clearly exhausted.  
  
“I’m sorry, sunshine,” Chanyeol whispered as he kissed Baekhyun’s plump cheeks, “I’m sorry for leaving you and scaring you.”  
  
“It’s okay,” Baekhyun raised his head to look at his hyung closely, “Baekhyunnie is a grown boy now. I should not cry when I’m scared, father told me.”  
  
“It’s fine to cry sometimes,” Chanyeol assured the younger.  
  
“Do you cry too, hyung?”  
  
“Sometimes,” Chanyeol hummed.  
  
“Oh, it’s starting!” Baekhyun suddenly exclaimed once they reached the heart of the capital. Everyone was gathered around the bonfire. Paper lanterns were passed. People were writing their wishes on their lanterns. Baekhyun asked to be put down to grab his own lantern.  
  
“What do you want to write?” Chanyeol squatted down to Baekhyun’s level as he held the lantern, “What do you want to wish for, Baekhyunnie?”  
  
“Hmmn,” Baekhyun tapped his chin, “Happiness?”  
  
“Alright,” Chanyeol said he wrote down the first word, “You can wish for more, you know. Every year, we would let lanterns fly with our wishes written, hoping that the gods in the heavens would receive and grant them.”  
  
“More pastries for Baekhyunnie?” The little Byun asked, “I want to wish for that one! Father limits my pastries whenever we eat.”  
  
The prince chuckled, “What more?”  
  
“That Chanyeol and I would be together forever!” Baekhyun suddenly exclaimed, “Write that one too, hyung!”  
  
Chanyeol started to feel the bitterness on his tongue. How would he break it to Baekhyun? He would be leaving in the morning and returning god knows when. It seemed like one of Baekhyun’s wishes won’t be granted.  
  
“Anything else?” Chanyeol looked at the younger sadly.  
  
“You did not wish for anything, hyung,” Baekhyun worriedly said, “You should write down your wishes too! Quick! Before everyone starts to fly their lanterns.”  
  
The taller bopped the younger’s nose, “Alright. Hyung’s gonna write down his wishes too.”  
  
Baekhyun smiled brightly at him. Chanyeol smiled back as he wrote down _Baekhyun never losing his smile_ on the paper lantern.  
  
Once everything was set, Chanyeol put on fire on the fire holder and held the lantern carefully. Baekhyun was helping him hold the lantern. The prince made sure that it was safe for the little one to do so. Slowly, hot air filled the inside of the lantern. The surface of the lantern was becoming hot, thus Chanyeol ordered Baekhyun to let go. Soon enough, their lantern started floating.  
  
“Waaa!” Baekhyun’s eyes doubled as their lantern floated, “It’s flying, hyung!”  
  
Chanyeol nodded. Baekhyun automatically held the older’s hand as they watched the sky be filled with glowing red lanterns.  
  
“It’s beautiful!” The little Byun exclaimed.  
  
Indeed, it was. Chanyeol agreed. The dark sky lighted with up hundreds of lanterns. They were like fireflies in the night. Some lantern burnt out, but most were floating. The two watched as their lantern became smaller and floated farther away from them. If only Chanyeol could capture this moment, he would.  
  
The prince would definitely treasure that moment – his last memory with Baekhyun.  
  
  
  
  
  
“No!” Baekhyun shook his head vehemently as he walked away, not minding that his robes were getting dirty because of his tantrums, “I’m not going to marry a wrinkly, old king!”  
  
All his life, Baekhyun stayed in the confines of their household. Their place was quite far from the palace. The young Byun only heard of the newly appointed king, but never really met or seen his face. They called him Phoenix king. Apparently, the current king led and won wars against different empires and tribes. From ashes, the king could help a losing empire regain its power. That was what all Baekhyun new about the king. Baekhyun was not interested in political affairs. He was more inclined to music and arts.  
  
Byun Baekho just shook his head in indignation. So much had happened during the past years. It had been a tough year for the palace. The old king had passed on. The crown prince, Chanyeol, had ascended the throne. Baekbeom had also long replaced his father as the king’s advisor. The kingdom had flourished. However, with the kingdom’s glory, the number of their enemies had been on the rise.  
  
King Chanyeol, who just came back to the kingdom a few days ago because of his father’s sudden death, had been trying to pacify his people about the recent attacks from their enemies and the power struggle inside the palace. Baekho had foreseen how the king would be pressured to take in a bride and get married. Getting married meant solidifying the king’s throne. With a spouse with the right connection, the king would be able to contain the power struggle inside the palace.  
  
And Byun Baekhyun was a perfect candidate.  
  
Baekhyun came from one of the well-known and established clans. Byun Baekho was a respected figure in their kingdom. He was, after all, the past king’s right hand man and advisor. His calculative thinking has led the kingdom to win wars against foreign invaders.  
  
Baekho was afraid this time would come – when Chanyeol finally claims what was his since eighteen summers ago. His Baekhyun, his youngest, would be taken away from him because of the promise he made one summer day, eighteen years ago. It was long overdue. Baekhyun was already twenty-two. The normal marrying age was younger than that. However, the old Byun could not help but feel overprotective over his youngest.  
  
Baekhyun had always been on the soft side. His skin was pristine smooth. His lips were the color of cherry. His eyes twinkled in delight whenever he smiles. The youngest Byun was also small compared to other boys his age. Baekhyun had a beauty that could sail a thousand ships. It was both a blessing and a curse. With this, Baekho decided to keep a close tab on his youngest.  
  
All his life, Baekhyun seldom stepped outside their household. Whenever he did, he was always with his guards. Baekhyun protested about being tailed but his father never gave in to his whines. He even employed the help of his older brother but Baekbeom just dismissed his pleas. Baekhyun was sheltered all his life. Knowing that he would be thrown away to the king meant lesser freedom.  
  
Baekhyun wanted to cry at the thought.  
  
With his already limited freedom, Baekhyun could not bear the thought of being imprisoned in the palace for the rest of his life.  
  
He wanted to be free – of his father’s overprotective shadow and the claws of the king.  
  
“You could be killed!” His father’s voice boomed through their household. The servants who were cleaning the floors bowed and scattered around, “The king could order your death if you go against his words.”  
  
“I don’t care!” Baekhyun shouted back, tears already blurring his sight, “I was never even alive in this suffocating house in the first place!”  
  
Baekho stopped at the outburst. Baekhyun had his back on his father but the latter knew that his son was sobbing. The sniffles that the young man tried to contain were a sign.  
  
“Baekhyun,” Baekho said gently as he turned his son around and wiped his tears, “Listen to father, okay? The king is a kind-hearted man. He will treat you well. The palace will treat you well as well.”  
  
“How could you do this to me, father?” Baekhyun sobbed, “I don’t know the king! I don’t even know his name. I don’t know his age, his likes, his dislikes… everything!”  
  
“You will learn everything in time,” Baekho pacified his son, “I can’t lose you Baekhyun. Listen to father. The king will treasure and cherish you. He had personally chosen you to be his bride.”  
  
“He did?” Baekhyun was shocked. He never once saw the king and he was sure that the king never saw him too since he never really left the relative safety of their house and town. So, why him? What was so special about him that he was chosen? “He does not even know me!”  
  
Baekho sighed. Through the years, Chanyeol stayed in contact with the old Byun. During Baekhyun’s birthdays, the prince would send grandiose presents like vases, robes, and musical instruments anonymously. Baekhyun never asked his father on who the secret sender was. The young Byun just learned to accept them.  
  
Baekhyun also stopped asking about his hyung three summers after Chanyeol disappeared without a word. His son was still holding grudges against Chanyeol who left him without goodbyes. The young Byun still felt abandoned by his hyung. Over the years, Baekhyun stopped mentioning Chanyeol’s name. Baekho knew that it was Baekhyun’s way of coping up and moving on.  
  
Baekhyun never knew that Chanyeol was the crown prince and that the older was already the king. All Baekhyun thought was that his hyung was just a common prince – someone with a royal blood without an affinity to the throne.  
  
Baekho, in return for Chanyeol’s gifts, would send paintings and caricatures of his youngest. From when Baekhyun was young up to his teenage years, Baekho never failed to send paintings. From what he knew, Chanyeol kept each painting of Baekhyun’s face in his own private room. Baekho would also report to Chanyeol about Baekhyun’s development – of his likes and dislikes, and every little bit about his son, like how he hated the smell of cucumbers, and how Baekhyun was now adept at musical instruments.  
  
Saying that Chanyeol abandoned Baekhyun was a complete lie.  
  
“Please do it for father, Baekhyun,” Baekho pleaded, “I am close to death. This is my only wish for you.”  
  
Baekho was old. His once strong stature was nowhere to be seen. He was also sick. The royal doctor told him that his sickness had something to do with his lungs. He wanted to secure Baekhyun’s safety before he dies. The kingdom was not peaceful. He could foresee how the power struggle would bring their kingdom to another upheaval. He cannot afford to leave Baekhyun alone.  
  
Baekhyun would only be safe beside Chanyeol.  
  
“Father,” Baekhyun said softly, “Why must you do this to me? You know that I can never go against your wishes.”  
  
Baekho smiled gently at his son, at his little flower. Baekhyun very much looked like his late mother. He had his mother’s eyes and smile. If he dies, Baekhyun would be left alone. Baekbeom, Baekhyun’s brother, is now the king’s advisor and was not allowed to leave the palace until he had fully served the king. Baekho could imagine the horrors that could happen to Baekhyun if the old Byun dies. His wife had already passed on a long time ago because of a heart complication.  
  
“Ask the servants to pack your bags, Baekhyun,” the father said with finality, “You’re going to live with the king from now own.”  
  
Baekhyun cried, “Promise me, father, that you would visit me in the palace every now and then.”  
  
“I promise, my little sun,” his father said as he placed a kiss on his forehead, “Now, be happy with the king.”  
  
The preparations were hastily done. Servants quickly scrubbed Baekhyun’s body and clothed him with the most exquisite robe that he had. His things were already packed. His once full room was now empty and void. The carriage that would take him to the palace was already waiting. Everything was ready except for him.  
  
Baekhyun found himself riding the carriage with his father. The Byun patriarch took his youngest son to the palace in preparation for his upcoming wedding with the king. Baekhyun had been quiet throughout the ride to the palace, a sign of his reluctance to everything that was happening. His head was leaning on the older Byun’s shoulder while his eyes were devoid of their usual color. He was lackluster. Once the horses stopped, Baekhyun could not help but tear up again. They had arrived.  
  
Saying goodbye to his father was painful. Baekho wanted to keep his son for himself a little bit more, but he needed to say his goodbyes. The old Byun knew that the king would treasure his youngest.  
  
Baekhyun was left all alone. As he heard his father’s carriage going farther away from him, he could not help but tear up. He was alone in this huge, strange place. Back in their household, everything was simpler. Here, everything was complicated. Servants do not raise their heads whenever people of high ranking pass by. The cleaning ladies cannot show their back to the members of the royal family. Everything was systematic, almost suffocating. Baekhyun wondered how he would be able to survive living in that prison-like place.  
  
The palace, his grandeur and prestige, was nothing but a soulless prison.  
  
And Baekhyun was a prisoner.  
  
“This way, your highness,” a servant lady caught Baekhyun’s attention.  
  
Baekhyun felt insignificant compared to the huge palace. Everything was grand. The vases looked like the ones from the distant lands. The engravings on the walls were intricate and Baekhyun was sure that it took the servants more than a year to finish the designs. The paintings hung on the wall were the ones preserved from the Goryeo dynasty. The ornaments that littered the whole household were all golden and silvery. Baekhyun wrapped his arms around himself as he felt so small.  
  
The Byuns were considered opulent, but this was another level.  
  
“The King specifically asked us to refurbish this room according to your taste,” the servant lady informed the young master as they entered a luxurious room, “The windows in this room were turned bigger to let the cool breeze in during the summers. If you open the windows, you would see the lotus pond which is currently in bloom. The silk on your bed came from the lands beyond the Yuan river. Musical instruments can also be found in one of your closets. If anything does not suit your taste, please inform me immediately.”  
  
Baekhyun could not help but stare in awe at the spacious room. The bed was decorated with pristine white curtains. The mattress looked soft and comfortable. The windows were letting the sunlight pass through. Baekhyun loved the sun, the warmth… and the room screamed both.  
  
“No,” Baekhyun shook his head, a small smile painting his lips, “Everything is perfect!”  
  
“I’m glad then, Your Highness,” the servant bowed, “Dinner with the king would be served soon. The king wanted to meet you as soon as possible, but he has some errands to do at this moment.”  
  
Baekhyun nodded. He was honestly relieved to know that he would not be meeting his fiancé soon. It gave him time to collect himself.  
  
Was he even ready to face the king?  
  
The young Byun didn’t know what to do. Once left alone in his spacious room, Baekhyun hugged himself. He never felt so alone until that moment. He knew no one in that huge prison. His father had briefed him into what was about to happen to his life. Baekhyun would be in training: etiquette, reading, writing… everything that they deemed he needed to know as the king’s spouse.  
  
Baekhyun lied down his bed and curled himself. The windows were left opened, letting the cool air in. Gently, the breeze lulled him to sleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
A deep voice kept him in between the state of consciousness and unconsciousness. It was soothing. The deep voice was gentle – the voice was seemingly toned down because of Baekhyun who was deeply asleep – but it held a commanding tone. The sleeping man could also feel someone running his fingers through his hair, lulling him back to sleep. Baekhyun sighed in delight and rubbed his face into the gentle, warm hands.  
  
He heard a chuckle, then a faraway _you haven’t changed a bit, my sunshine._  
  
Sunshine? Who calls him sunshine? Only one person called him that. And he haven’t seen him for fifteen summers now.  
  
With the sudden realization, Baekhyun quickly opened his eyes and found himself staring at the most handsome man he had ever laid his eyes on. The man was looking down at him, staring at him with those warm chocolate eyes. His nose was as proud as his aura. His hair was as black as the night sky. His lips were thin and held a natural color. The man was wearing the grandest robe that Baekhyun had ever seen.  
  
This man, although unknown to Baekhyun, was a familiar stranger.  
  
Familiar? Baekhyun gasped as his eyes widened at the realization. It has been fifteen years, but Baekhyun would never forget that face.  
  
_He_ matured well. The once plump cheeks were gone and his jawline was now chiseled. His eyes were still brooding, dark as the night. A few scars decorated the man’s face, but they just added to the man’s mysterious aura. His eyebrows were still as bushy as ever. His face was more angular than Baekhyun could remember with his memories.  
  
It has been so long… so, so long.  
  
And yet, Baekhyun wanted nothing more than to take flight and run away.  
  
When consciousness fully settled in, Baekhyun quickly reached for his silk blanket and pulled it up to his chest in a poor attempt to protect himself against the man, “C-chanyeol h-hyung?!”  
  
Baekhyun looked around, just in case he needed an escape route, and found the palace guards surrounding them. He was about to get up and run when his hyung held his arm firmly.  
  
“Baekhyun, it has been a while,” the soothing voice said. It was even deeper than what Baekhyun could remember. At his teenage years, Chanyeol’s voice was already deep. Now that the man had matured, his voice was a mixture of baritone and husky.  
  
“Do you still remember hyung?” Chanyeol asked, “You’ve grown well, sunshine.”  
  
Baekhyun gulped as he could feel the older’s eyes examining him as if Chanyeol was memorizing every curve and smooth planes of his face.  
  
“W-why are you here?” Baekhyun found himself asking.  
  
“Let me introduce myself properly then,” Chanyeol chuckled, “I am Park Chanyeol, fifth king of the Joseon dynasty.”  
  
Baekhyun’s eyes widened as the king gently held both of his hands and kissed them. He could feel warmth spreading through his cheeks. This man, the hyung he had always played with during summers when he was a child, was his betrothed. Awkwardly, Baekhyun pulled his hands when the king finished kissing them. He looked away as if burnt by the king’s gaze upon him.  
  
“I have come to your chamber to let you know that dinner would be served soon,” the king continued, “Please prepare for it.”  
  
The king stood up and left the room with his guards. Baekhyun released the breath that he was holding. The man, his hyung, was the king. The hyung that he had been waiting for for a long time. The hyung who had abandoned him. The hyung who left him without saying anything.  
  
And Baekhyun… he was conflicted. Should he feel happy? Should he feel sad?  
  
Baekhyun placed his hand on his chest to calm his wildly beating heart. He was sure that his face was as red as the red roses that he himself grown in their garden back at the Byun household.  
  
The king, although he had a commanding aura, was always gentle with Baekhyun.  
  
It must be the reason why his heart could not settle. Baekhyun, for all his life, had stayed in the safety of the walls of their home. Because of this, he had little to no interaction with strangers. He had grown up together with the presence of the household servants and his family. Meeting his Chanyeol hyung again was like meeting a stranger.  
  
How much time had passed? How much did his hyung change? Is he still the gentle hyung that played with him during summer?  
  
Baekhyun shook his head. It was ironic how he didn’t know how to act in front of someone he had been waiting for so long. The young Byun could not stop his hands from trembling. His hyung had tenderly kissed them. It was real. Everything was real. His hyung was finally back.  
  
And what’s more shocking was that he was bound to marry his hyung.  
  
A few more minutes, after collecting himself, Baekhyun heard a knock and a voice telling him that it was dinner time. Once he stepped out of his chambers, he was led to another room. It was huge, yet the only ones inside were the king and three kitchen servants.  
  
Slowly, Baekhyun kneeled and took a seat in front of the king. He looked around and found three tables set up for them: two circular tables, one much bigger than the other, and a rectangular one. It was the common setup for the king’s meal. On the bigger circular table were the main dishes, most of which were stews, and the side dishes. The smaller table was used to store the empty bowls and the covers of the bowls used in the main dishes. It also contained desserts and sweets. The rectangular table contained other side dishes, most of which were vegetables, and sauces.  
  
If Baekhyun would count, he was sure that the number of dishes served would exceed thirty. It was the normal meal of the king. When he was younger, Baekhyun used to study about it. His governor used to stress how the king should be served with only the finest meal. Learning about it, Baekhyun could not help but be in awe. Now that he saw it with his own eyes, he was speechless.  
  
_Lavish. Everything in the palace is lavish._  
  
“We don’t have to finish everything,” the king chuckled at Baekhyun’s widened eyes, “I have long been telling the kitchen servants to reduce the number of dishes, but it has been a long tradition passed over the years. It is hard to change traditions.”  
  
Baekhyun blushed. It seemed like the king knew what he had been thinking.  
  
The servants begun serving them when the king commanded them. They both started their meals in silence. Baekhyun looked around and found that most of the dishes were his favorites. He smiled at the thought. At least, the palace food was good.  
  
“Did you like your room?” The King asked as he looked at the boy in front of him intently, “I specifically asked the palace servants to design it according to your taste. Your father had been informative with this.”  
  
Baekhyun nodded and politely answered the king, “It was perfect. Thank you.”  
  
He was starving. He had not eaten anything ever since he left the palace. His appetite had decreased when he learned that he was betrothed to the king. Now that his favorites were served, Baekhyun wanted nothing but to stuff himself with the palace’s food. But since he was in the presence of the king, Baekhyun remembered his etiquette lessons and ate with finesse.  
  
Silence followed. Baekhyun enjoyed his meal silently while throwing inconspicuous glances at the king every now and then.  
  
“You need to start your training tomorrow,” Chanyeol suddenly stated. Baekhyun raised his head to look at the king, his hyung.  
  
“Yes, I know, Your Highness,” he softly muttered.  
  
Chanyeol’s face hardened at the title. With a commanding voice, the king ordered all the servants in the room to leave them alone. Baekhyun worriedly looked at the servants exiting the room one by one, walking backwards for it was an insult to turn your back on the king.  
  
“Baekhyun,” his hyung firmly stated, “Please drop the title.”  
  
“B-but—“ Baekhyun gulped. How was he supposed to act around his hyung? This man in front of him had changed. This man was way different, yet he still bore resemblances to that gentle prince he played with when he was young.  
  
“Baekhyun, please,” Chanyeol gently asked as he pleaded with his eyes, “At least please drop the honorifics when we are alone.”  
  
Who was Baekhyun to deny the king?  
  
“Tell me about yourself, Baekhyun,” the king suddenly said, cutting off Baekhyun from his thoughts.  
  
He gulped. What would he tell the king? Certainly his hobbies and activities would pale in comparison with the king’s. He was sure that the king would only find him lacking and boring. Even so, Baekhyun needed to reply to the man who had the highest position in their land.  
  
“I…” Baekhyun licked his lower lip, “I like music.”  
  
“Indeed,” Chanyeol nodded, “Your father had told me so. I had musical instruments placed in your room. I hope you find them entertaining enough.”  
  
The king looked at him expectantly… as if asking for more. Baekhyun sighed. He was never good in socializing and talking with others. He could feel the king’s eyes intently focused on him. The smaller blushed upon noticing it. The king was looking at him as if he was a fascinating painting worthy of such gaze.  
  
“I dislike dancing,” Baekhyun, without thinking, blurted.  
  
Chanyeol chuckled at the innocent confession, “Well, we can’t do anything about that. You have to learn how to dance.”  
  
The smaller pouted and said in a small voice, “I know.”  
  
It would be part of his training. Chanyeol briefed him about what would be his daily routine: from the learning their history to learning how to dance. It seemed that Baekhyun would be kept busy until their wedding day. Baekhyun sighed at the thought. He was a free spirit. Growing up, he would always escape from his caretakers to play with the children of their servants. Dedicating his days to studying under the supervision of pedagogues would limit his freedom. He had heard how pedantic people were in the palace.  
  
“I knew you were caught off guard with the proposal,” the king said, “but I need you to be here by my side, Baekhyun. I will never be at peace until you are by my side.”  
  
Baekhyun stopped at the statement.  
  
“Why me?” He asked in the softest voice he could muster. The question had been long in his mind. How did the king choose him? Why did the king choose him? There were others more worthy of him. That was a fact. He knew how some of the families – even more powerful than theirs – were offering their children to the king.  
  
Baekhyun always thought of himself as someone not so special.  
  
“It has to be you,” Chanyeol firmly said, “My soul will never be satisfied until it has you.”  
  
Coupled with the statement was the look that the king was giving him – intent, earnest… and warm. It was as if the king was pleading him, asking of something that Baekhyun did not know.  
  
That night, Baekhyun learned that, aside from melting gazes, the king had a mellifluous tongue.  
  
“I miss you.”  
  
Baekhyun raised his head and was welcomed with a warm look from his hyung.  
  
“You never left my mind when I left,” Chanyeol continued.  
  
The young Byun could feel his throat constricting at the sentences. He was so young back then, but it did not hurt any less. His hyung decided to leave him without saying goodbye. Baekhyun could still remember how he would stay beside their window, waiting and waiting for someone who would not return soon. Baekhyun felt abandoned. Did he not mean anything to his hyung that he was not informed about his departure?  
  
“You never said your goodbyes,” Baekhyun accusingly said, his eyes avoiding the older’s own pair, “I waited for you, you know… And somehow, I got tired. I just stopped waiting. It was a foolish act – to wait for you.”  
  
“Please forgive me,” Chanyeol reached for his hand, “It was a tough choice. Believe me, sunshine, it was not my intention to hurt you.”  
  
Baekhyun slowly retrieved his hand from the older’s touch. He could see a glimpse of pain from the taller’s eyes at his action, but Baekhyun did not care.  
  
He was not ready to face his hyung.  
  
Baekhyun cleared his throat. The tears were threatening to fall, “I need to go back to my quarters.”  
  
Chanyeol sighed and nodded.  
  
That night, his hyung came back. But this time, it was Baekhyun who distanced himself.  
  
  
  
  
  
It has been four weeks since Baekhyun arrived in the palace. He was civil with Chanyeol even though the latter hated how he was distancing himself from the king. Chanyeol made sure to talk to Baekhyun every day. The young Byun could see how much effort the king was exerting in trying to repair their broken relationship. The king would always send his favorite pastries to his room. Chanyeol never missed a meal with Baekhyun. The king was trying to ease the loneliness that Baekhyun was feeling.  
  
Baekhyun sighed as he placed his head on the table. It was history lesson. His governor, his tutor, was called by the elders, hence he was alone. The tutor would be back soon and Baekhyun would need to study again.  
  
He groaned at the thought. He had been diligent in his studies even though he hated them. His tutor was pedantic – he was strict and held onto his values and principles well. Every night, during dinner time, Chanyeol would ask Baekhyun about his day. One time, Baekhyun was not able to stop himself from ranting about his tutor. The next day, Baekhyun noticed that his study load had lessened. Chanyeol must have ordered it, and for that, Baekhyun was thankful.  
  
“Hey, sunshine.”  
  
Baekhyun quickly raised his head and found Chanyeol smiling down at him. He gulped. He built walls in order not to give in to Chanyeol but his hyung was making it very hard for him.  
  
“H-hyung?” Baekhyun asked, “What are you doing here?”  
  
If his tutor saw him slacking, Baekhyun would again be scolded.  
  
“Come on,” Chanyeol pulled him up and gently lead him outside of the palace.  
  
“Where are you taking me?”  
  
“Shhh,” the king hushed him, “Just follow hyung okay?”  
  
They reached the stable. A huge black stallion was geared up. One palace guard was holding onto the reins of the horse. Are they going out of the palace? Baekhyun looked at the older in confusion. Now that he looked at Chanyeol, Baekhyun noticed that the king was not wearing his usual robes. His clothes, that day, were much simpler than his usual robes. Chanyeol was wearing his riding clothes.  
  
Baekhyun, too absorbed in his thoughts, did not notice the king slowly tying his hair into a ponytail. Baekhyun’s hair was long and he seldom bothered tying it up like most guys. When the young Byun finally noticed the older tying his hair for him, Baekhyun groaned. He liked to keep his hair silky and smooth. Tying it up every now and then ruins it. Chanyeol just laughed at the pouting Byun.  
  
Chanyeol, then, carefully wrapped the smaller with a black hood, making sure that Baekhyun’s face would not be seen.  
  
“Come on,” the king offered his hand to Baekhyun, “I have a surprise.”  
  
Baekhyun took the offered hand and with the older’s arms wrapped around him, the young Byun found himself being placed on top of the black horse. Baekhyun knew how to ride horses, but the black one he was on was much bigger than what he usually rides. Baekhyun was small, he needed Chanyeol’s help to reach the saddle of the horse.  
  
The horse neighed as Chanyeol rode it too. Baekhyun could feel his back on the taller’s developed chest. It was rock hard, Baekhyun blushed as he took note. He remembered Chanyeol hyung as the teenager with soft belly. Now, his hyung was a man with a firm stomach. Muscled arms pulled the reins, caging Baekhyun inside. Even his hyung’s arms had changed.  
  
“Please hold on tight,” Chanyeol whispered to him, “We don’t want you falling now. Onyx here likes speed.”  
  
Baekhyun could not help but shudder. Chanyeol was way too close to him and the way the older whispered in his ear was not helping his beating heart.  
  
So the stallion’s name is Onyx? Baekhyun mused. It suited the horse. The horse was as dark as the gem. The horse actually resembles his owner. Chanyeol’s hair was as dark as the night. Baekhyun quickly held onto Chanyeol’s arm as the older suddenly swung the reins. Onyx flew through the wind. Baekhyun was glad that his hyung tied his hair for him.  
  
They were taking an abandoned route. Baekhyun looked back to question the king but stopped when he could feel the older’s breath on his cheek. Too close… they were way too close. Just a few more movements and Baekhyun’s lips would meet the older’s. Baekhyun could feel himself redden at the thought. For sure, his cheeks, as well as the tips of his ears, were pink. He muttered a prayer to the gods to not let Chanyeol notice them.  
  
A few more minutes, Baekhyun’s eyes begin to wander. Somehow, the path seemed familiar.  
  
_Could it be?_  
  
They had been traveling for a while now. The scenery was beginning to look familiar. Baekhyun knew this place. He was so sure of it.  
  
“We’re almost there,” Chanyeol informed him.  
  
Baekhyun’s eyes widened when they stopped at a familiar gate. The gate opens and the two entered the premises of the household. As soon as they got in, tears begin clouding Baekhyun’s sight.  
  
It had been so long.  
  
Chanyeol pulled the reins of the horse when they were in front of the house. The king went down the horse and helped Baekhyun get off. As soon as Baekhyun’s feet touched the ground, the little Byun sprinted towards the door. The door opened and it revealed his father, Byun Baekho, with open arms.  
  
“F-father!” Baekhyun sniffed as he hugged the old man, “I missed you.”  
  
“I missed you too, my little sun,” Baekho mumbled as he rained kisses on the face of his youngest.  
  
Baekhyun broke the hug and examined his father. It had only been a month since he left, but a lot has changed with his father. Baekho’s commanding stature was replaced with a slouching posture. His eyes were decorated with folds, wrinkles. His hair had turned gray. But his father’s eyes, at that moment, were content and happy.  
  
“You gained weight, Baekhyunie,” Baekho teased his youngest, “The palace must have served you with your favorite pastries.”  
  
Baekhyun jutted his lower lip at his father, “I still prefer our pastries over the palace’s.”  
  
Baekho chuckled.  
  
“It’s good to see you, Your Highness,” Baekho greeted and bowed to Chanyeol.  
  
“Please, drop the honorifics,” Chanyeol smiled at the older man, “I brought Baekhyun because he had been sulking at the palace.”  
  
Baekhyun gasped as he squinted his eyes at the king, “Hyung! I did not sulk!”  
  
Baekho laughed, “Did my little sun cause trouble? You know how he is, Chanyeol. He has always been a naughty one. Anyway, I’m glad you two are okay. Baekhyunie here was devastated when you left. I bet this little sun ignored you for a while. He always does the same thing to me whenever he is angry at me.”  
  
The young Byun just widened his eyes at his father, shaking his head as he tried to stop his father from spilling more beans.  
  
Chanyeol just chuckled, “I know Baekhyun. He just needs a basket of pastries every day to appease him.”  
  
“I see,” Baekho nodded, “That explains the added weight.”  
  
Baekhyun just groaned. His hyung and his father were a bad combination.  
  
The Byun patriarch whisked the two inside the house where a feast was waiting for them. They were all Baekhyun’s favorite. The meal was dominated with Baekhyun’s tales about the palace – how he was suffering because of his strict tutor. The young Byun seized the moment. He never once left his father’s side. Baekhyun knew that a day like this would be rare once he marries the king.  
  
Chanyeol was just watching the father and son bonding. He smiled as he Baekhyun smiled. His dull eyes were no longer seen. Instead, Baekhyun’s eyes were bright and glowing, a proof of the happiness and joy that the smaller was feeling at the present. Chanyeol heaved a relieved sigh. The king had seen how Baekhyun was unhappy in the palace. He was glad that he took this opportunity to let the younger visit his father.  
  
“Will we be staying in here?” Baekhyun asked Chanyeol.  
  
“I’m so sorry, sunshine,” the king started, “but we need to go back. The palace servants would go crazy once they learned that the king and his future spouse are missing.”  
  
Baekhyun sighed, “How much time do we have left to stay here?”  
  
“Two hours at maximum.”  
  
Two hours went by so fast. Baekhyun was too engrossed with playing a boardgame with his father that he did not notice the time. Chanyeol who was watching them the whole time suddenly interrupted the play to remind Baekhyun of the time. Baekho was understanding.  
  
“You need to go now, my little one,” Baekho said as he ruffled Baekhyun’s hair, “I don’t want you to travel in the dark. Although Chanyeol here is very capable of defending you both, I do not want to take the risk.”  
  
Baekhyun nodded and kissed his father goodbye. Saying goodbye for the second time was not less any painful.  
  
Again, Chanyeol and Baekhyun took the road. The ride was spent in silence. Once they were back in the palace, Baekhyun faced the older, who was returning Onyx to the stable, and tugged his robes to get his attention.  
  
“Thank you for today, hyung,” Baekhyun said, his eyes darted downwards, “I think I understand now.”  
  
“Understand what?” Chanyeol scrunched his forehead.  
  
“Why you chose not to say goodbye to me back then.”  
  
Chanyeol just smiled tenderly at the younger.  
  
“Today, when I said goodbye to father, I realized how hard it was,” Baekhyun raised his head and looked at the older sincerely, “It must have been hard for you too back then.”  
  
The king sighed. He extended his arms and pulled Baekhyun closer, resting the younger’s face onto his chest, “I’m sorry for leaving you back then, sunshine, and I’m also sorry for making you say goodbye now.”  
  
Baekhyun just buried his face onto the older’s chest, his hand wrapping around the older’s back.  
  
“Welcome back, hyung,” Baekhyun said, “I missed you.”  
  
Chanyeol heaved a relieved sigh. His Baekhyun was finally back.  
  
  
  
  
  
The days were spent blissfully.  
  
Chanyeol would often set aside time for Baekhyun. Before dinner started, the king would visit the younger who was taking his lessons. The king would stay outside the room, his eyes never leaving Baekhyun who would often get mild scolding from his tutor. Once the lessons were done, the king would pull the younger outside and they would spend the afternoon walking around the palace gardens.  
  
Manmade ponds were found around the king’s palace and they were Baekhyun’s favorite place. Gazebos, or resting areas, were built on near the ponds, thus allowing a clear view of the bodies of water. Often, the king and his soon-to-be spouse would spend their lazy afternoon drinking tea and eating pastries in the gazebos. The two would spend the afternoon together, laughing at the smallest things.  
  
Baekhyun smiled as he remembered his hyung’s tales about the lands he had been to. Distance and time turned them into strangers. Now, they were rediscovering each other. The younger would feel giddy whenever he would spend the day with his hyung. He would remember the king’s gentle pats on his head and the warm voice that would tell him _“you’ve worked hard, today, my sunshine.”_  
  
“Focus!”  
  
Baekhyun was cut off his reverie by the voice that he had found to be annoying. It was his tutor. The man would always scold him for even his littlest mistake. Baekhyun pouted as he continued reading the book about their kingdom’s history. It was an anthology of boring accounts of the past dynasties. Baekhyun had to remember them all, but his capacity to do so was limited. He groaned as he tried to redirect his attention to the book.  
  
_When will this end? What time will hyung visit me?_  
  
Usually, whenever the king was present, the tutor would minimize his scolding. He would be more merciful and kinder with Baekhyun. He once told Chanyeol about it but the older just chuckled at him.  
  
Baekhyun sighed. He had been in the palace for more than half a year now. It was never easy. Sometimes, Baekhyun would miss his father. Chanyeol would know these times and the king would suddenly plan a trip to the Byun household whenever the younger would feel down. Baekhyun was eternally grateful for that. He had also learned that Chanyeol would often send one of the palace doctors to check on the older Byun. His father was not getting any younger and he needed medical attention and care.  
  
A knock interrupted them. The door opened and it revealed one of the palace servants. After greeting the two, the servant went straight to Baekhyun’s tutor and whispered on his ear. Baekhyun raised his brow at this. The message must be something private.  
  
The tutor cleared his throat and faced his student, “I have to go somewhere to attend an urgent need. I will be back soon. Please don’t leave the confines of this room.”  
  
Baekhyun nodded. Once the tutor was fully out, the young Byun lied his head on the table. Time seemed to be slow that day. It felt like Baekhyun had been in that room forever. He scrunched his forehead at the thought. Palace life was routinary. It was a cycle. Each movement was measured. Each step was scrutinized. There were only a few instances where he could breathe freely.  
  
_Is this how hyung lived all his life?_  
  
“Oh, who might you be?”  
  
An unfamiliar voice asked.  
  
Baekhyun quickly sat straight. Anyone who would see him slouching would definitely not let the bad posture pass. His eyes travelled towards the entrance of the room and he was greeted with a tall physique, almost as tall as Chanyeol. The face of the stranger was familiar. From the eyes to the lips, he resembled his hyung. The robe that the man was wearing were also of fine fabrics. The imperial family crest was embroidered on the stranger’s robe. This man right in front of him was a member of the ruling family.  
  
The young Byun bowed his head in greeting quickly.  
  
“I’m Byun Baekhyun, your majesty,” Baekhyun introduced himself.  
  
The stranger chuckled, “You are the infamous Byun Baekhyun? It has been a while, Baekhyun.”  
  
Baekhyun raised his head confusedly. He was sure that he did not know the man. He had never seen the man. Yet, the stranger knew him.  
  
“We’ve met each other when you were just a kid.”  
  
“I’m sorry but I cannot seem to remember.”  
  
The stranger smiled fondly at him, “You were really young back then. You got lost in the festival. You were with my younger brother, the king, Chanyeol.”  
  
A spark of recognition flashed through Baekhyun’s eyes.  
  
“Do you remember now?”  
  
Baekhyun quickly stood up and did a formal bow. The stranger was a prince. He was his hyung’s older brother. It would be a disgrace if the fiancé of the King disrespected one of the princes. His tutor would definitely scold him for not knowing the faces of the members of the imperial family.  
  
“No need to be formal, Baekhyun… I can call you Baekhyun right?”  
  
“Yes, of course,” Baekhyun nodded as he tried to remember the name of his hyung’s older brother.  
  
“Are you studying?” The stranger asked.  
  
Baekhyun nodded in response.  
  
“Then, I shouldn’t keep you from your studying. It is nice to finally meet you, Baekhyun.”  
  
“The pleasure is mine,” Baekhyun bowed as he said his goodbyes.  
  
The young Byun released a deep sigh as the prince was finally out of his vision. The king’s older brother looked kind and gentle, yet Baekhyun felt discomfort around him. He could not put his finger onto it, but the older brother looked like someone who had secrets. Baekhyun remembered how Chanyeol was hostile to the man during the lantern festival. Although he was young back then, the little Byun could feel the tension between the two brother.  
  
Baekhyun shrugged. He must just be imagining things. He was so young back then after all.  
  
One thing was for sure, Baekhyun was uneasy with the older’s presence.  
  
It must be because he was a stranger, Baekhyun reasoned.  
  
  
  
  
  
Baekhyun finds it hard to sleep. He groaned as he turned on his right. He had not seen his hyung the whole day because the king was busy with his stately affairs. From what he knew, the kingdom was facing territorial disputes with a neighboring kingdom. Chanyeol had once told him about it. The king was working hard to not let the dispute turn into something more. At worst, it could turn into a war between the two kingdoms.  
  
Aside from not seeing his hyung the whole day, Baekhyun was in pain. His right cheek was aching. It was throbbing – the pain was torturing him. He groaned as he felt a strong stab on his cheek. It must be his gums or his teeth. Lately, Chanyeol had been showering Baekhyun with his favorite pastries. Baekhyun was weak. He indulged in them. Now, his teeth were suffering.  
  
“It hurts…” Baekhyun mumbled to himself as he tried to divert his attention from the pain by trying to sleep.  
  
A few more minutes passed by and he could not still sleep. He kicked his blankets away and stood up. Baekhyun walked around his room, trying to tire himself out to sleep. Every now and then, he would let out a groan of pain. He had experienced the same ache before but it was different now. The intensity of the pain was obviously greater. When he was young, he would often go to his father to whine about his toothache. His father would then grab a cloth, fill it with ice, and stick it to Baekhyun’s cheek to numb the pain.  
  
Baekhyun’s eyes widened at the thought.  
  
He could try to apply cold compress to his cheek. Although he knew that it would not totally rid his toothache, the ice was helpful in lessening the pain. With a determined mindset, Baekhyun carefully trudged his way out of his chambers. Chanyeol’s room was right in front of his. Baekhyun stopped at the door and debated whether to knock on his hyung’s door or to just deal with his pain alone. He sighed. His hyung would probably be tired. It was better for Baekhyun to deal his problem on his own.  
  
With small, slow steps, Baekhyun walked through the hallway. The sound of his footsteps was clearly loud. The soft thuds reverberated through the hallway. Baekhyun stopped on his tracks when one step made the wooden floor creaked under his weight.  
  
The lights were immediately turned on. The sound of the door opening soon followed. Like a deer caught in headlights, Baekhyun’s eyes doubled. Whoever was awake at that hour would definitely reprimand him. The fiancé of the king should respect the natural rhythm of time. He should not be caught gallivanting at night when almost everyone was asleep.  
  
“Baekhyunnie?”  
  
A husky, deep voice asked. Baekhyun quickly turned around and saw his hyung who was on his sleeping robe. The older’s hair was tousled in every direction. His eyes were slightly opened. His sleeping robe was loosely tied, showcasing a hard, sturdy, and well-defined chest. Faint trails of hair crawling downwards could be seen on the older’s chest. Baekhyun gulped as he tried to follow the direction of the faint trails.  
  
“Why are you still up?”  
  
His hyung asked worriedly as he stepped closer to the younger.  
  
Baekhyun pouted when he remembered his predicament. He shook his head in denial. He should not bother his hyung. The king looked tired to deal with his petty toothache. Baekhyun automatically let out a groan when another bout of throbbing pain attacked him.  
  
“Tell me what is wrong, sunshine,” Chanyeol worriedly asked as he inspects Baekhyun’s body.  
  
The king knew that Baekhyun was in pain for it was evident in the younger’s face. The young Byun had always acted like that when dealing with pain. When they were younger, Baekhyun would always hide his wounds from his hyung. His eyes would double in size as he denied the pain he was feeling until tears would start streaming down. Baekhyun would then sob and whine about the pain.  
  
Baekhyun was wearing the same expression at that exact moment.  
  
“My teeth,” Baekhyun shyly replied as he cupped his right cheek with his two hands, “They’re aching.”  
  
Chanyeol chuckled as he gently caressed Baekhyun’s cheek after pulling the younger’s hands off it. Baekhyun leaned into the tender touch.  
  
“Awww,” the king cooed, “This is my fault. I kept feeding you sweets.”  
  
Baekyun groaned, his eyes lined with unshed tears, “It’s really painful.”  
  
“Come,” Chanyeol gently pulled the younger with him, “I have an herb in my chambers. It helps lessen the toothache.”  
  
Slowly, the two entered the king’s chambers. Chanyeol led the younger to his bed and immediately got a vial which contained the herbs he was talking about. He got it from a missionary he met from the distant lands. The herb was truly effective in reducing the pain that Chanyeol made sure to buy more than necessary from the missionary. The herb was useful during emergency times like this.  
  
Chanyeol walked back to the younger and asked the latter to open his mouth widely to check the damage. The taller knelt down to apply the herb on Baekhyun’s mouth.  
  
“Tsk,” Chanyeol looked at the younger pointedly as he scooped the herb with his finger, “We should completely cut off the pastries.”  
  
“No,” Baekhyun shook his head vehemently. Chanyeol took the chance to apply the grinded herbs to Baekhyun’s right set of teeth.  
  
“Postries make me hoppy,” Baekhyun spoke as the older carefully spread the herb onto the younger’s teeth.  
  
It was cool and had a minty aftertaste. Baekhyun was glad that it didn’t taste like the greens that the palace wanted him to finish every meal. Baekhyun had nothing against vegetables. He just did not prefer them for he always had a sweet tooth.  
  
“What?” Chanyeol chuckled.  
  
Baekhyun grabbed the older’s arm and pushed it away from him, “I said only pastries make me happy in this palace.”  
  
Chanyeol frowned, his voice laced with guilt, “Don’t I make you happy, sunshine?”  
  
The younger gulped at the question. Does the king make him happy?  
  
The palace life was a lonely life. Behind the glamour of the silken robes and rare jewelries, the palatial residence, and the puissant control over the empire, living as a royal was suffocating. Every step, every action, every move was under scrutiny. The responsibility that laid upon the shoulders of the reigning family was onerous and it affected the whole empire. One wrong decision could lead to the downfall of the kingdom.  
  
Because of this, Baekhyun could not help but feel lonely and terrified of his present status and much more of his future status.  
  
However, the arduous everyday palace life was bearable because of the king. Chanyeol would make sure that Baekhyun never felt lonely by setting aside time to spend with the younger. The king would also help Baekhyun in his training whenever he can. Simple caring gestures from his hyung always made Baekhyun’s heart flutter with joy and glee. Presents such as sweet pastries were always served in the younger’s chambers, thus making Baekhyun tickled pink in delight.  
  
The king never failed to make Baekhyun happy.  
  
“The pastries are all from you,” Baekhyun softly said as he circled his arms around the older’s neck, “The pastries, which are from you, make me happy.”  
  
The younger buried his head on the curve where the king’s neck meets his shoulder, inhaling the scent of his hyung. The older always smelled like musk – strong, powerful, but not enough for it to be unwarranted. It had the opposite effect on Baekhyun. His hyung’s scent calms him like the lull of the soft ocean waves.  
  
“You make me happy,” Baekhyun shyly admitted.  
  
The king smiled at the gesture. Baekhyun had done the same thing to him when they were younger. The young Byun, even back then, would hug his hyung tightly and bury his head on the older’s neck while shyly uttering his sincere gratitude. It was a habit that Chanyeol especially loved. It was sincere, sweet, and warm.  
  
Baekhyun uncurled his arms from the taller’s neck and looked at the older in the eyes, “Thank you for taking care of me, hyung.”  
  
Chanyeol chuckled, “All for you, sunshine… always for you.”  
  
  
  
  
  
“I won’t allow it.”  
  
Baekhyun frowned upon hearing Chanyeol’s stern voice. The young one was wandering around the palace, hiding from his tutor, when he chanced upon what looked like a meeting room. The door of the room was closed while four palace guards were standing in front of it. It was a closed meeting – probably an important talk about state matters. Baekhyun was still studying the process of handling state matters. He would be expected to join the king in the future with this.  
  
It was the first time he heard the king use that voice. Chanyeol had always been gentle with him, only scolding him whenever he hurts himself like that one time he ate too much sweets and had a toothache. This was another side of the king that Baekhyun would like to know more about.  
  
“It would be a good opportunity for your future spouse, young master Byun, to associate with other princes and princesses,” an old voice commented.  
  
Baekhyun leaned in closer to the door to hear the conversation more clearly. Now that his name was mentioned, his curiosity got the best of him. The palace guards just eyed him as he eavesdropped. They knew how the king favored his fiancé and let the latter get away with the things he did in the palace.  
  
“My older brother and his mother would be there,” the king replied, “I cannot risk Baekhyun’s safety.”  
  
“But it is expected of the king to formally introduce his soon-to-be-spouse to the members of the imperial family.”  
  
_Older brother and his mother? Why would it be dangerous for him?_ Baekhyun frowned and was about to lean more when someone cleared his throat. He quickly turned around and saw his tutor seriously looking at him. The older man had his arms crossed, his right foot slowly tapping the floor and his right brow raised at the young Byun’s action. The young one gulped as he tried to smile at his stern tutor. He bowed down and greeted the old man as formally as he could.  
  
“We need to get back to studying, young master Byun,” the tutor said menacingly, “The future spouse of the king should never eavesdrop on the king’s conversation. You cannot participate in a discussion you are not included.”  
  
The young Byun just nodded and followed his tutor who led the way back to the study room. Baekhyun sighed. What was it about? The topic of the conversation definitely included him. They must be talking about the formal introduction of the king’s future spouse. It was a tradition. The king should have already introduced the young Byun but for some reason, he was hesitating to do so.  
  
Baekhyun felt his heartstrings tug at the thought.  
  
Was the king ashamed of him? Baekhyun had heard palace servants whisper about how he was not suited as the future spouse of the king. He was too clumsy, they would say, and he lacked the grace and poise expected of a royal member. He was too free-spirited for the palace life. He was too young for the king – a polite way of saying that Baekhyun was immature. Some people were doubting his ability to lead the kingdom alongside with Chanyeol.  
  
The young one shook his head. His hyung was not like that. The king might have an important reason why he still has not formally introduced Baekhyun to the public as his spouse. Only the palace people knew who Baekhyun was to the king.  
  
“Baekhyun?”  
  
A deep voice interrupted his thoughts.  
  
His tutor bowed and greeted the king. Baekhyun did the same. Chanyeol just got out of the room he was in earlier. A confused look was painted on his face.  
  
“What are you doing here, Baekhyun?” The king asked.  
  
“Uhh,” Baekhyun scratched his head as he tried to come up with excuses. _Hyung would get angry if he knew I was eavesdropping, right?_  
  
“The young master and I are taking a short break from studying, your highness,” his tutor suddenly stated.  
  
Baekhyun heaved a relieved sigh. Although the old man was strict, Baekhyun was able to build a closer relationship with the man. Really, the old man was a softie deep inside. The young one made a mental note to thank his tutor later for saving him from the possible reprimands of the king.  
  
“Is that so?” The king’s eyes playfully turned into slits as he eyed Baekhyun who was currently fidgeting. The latter was playing with the hems of his robes, his rosy lips slightly pouting.  
  
“Can I have Baekhyun for a moment, governor Do?”  
  
Baekhyun raised and shook his head at the old man, his eyes pleading at his tutor to save him from the king. The tutor just shrugged his shoulders and gave his permission to Chanyeol to take Baekhyun away. As soon as the affirmative statement left his tutor’s lips, Baekhyun groaned and shot the old man a look of betrayal. Once his tutor was out of sight, Chanyeol tugged his wrists and led him away to the room where the king had a talk with his advisers.  
  
“So, why were you eavesdropping on me, sunshine?” The king promptly asked when they were inside the room.  
  
“I was not!” Baekhyun shook his head in denial, “I was merely passing by when I heard your stern voice.”  
  
“Uh huh,” the king teased as he crossed his arms, “What did you hear?”  
  
Baekhyun was not looking at the older. He was tracing the floor patterns with his eyes, trying to avoid his hyung’s question. Could he risk it? Based from his hyung’s teasing aura, the older was not really vexed about Baekhyun’s impoliteness. The king just loved seeing the younger’s cute reactions.  
  
“I heard about the formal introduction,” Baekhyun said in a small voice.  
  
The king’s stature tensed at the statement.  
  
“Will you go through with the formal introduction, hyung?”  
  
Chanyeol sighed as he massaged his temples. He knew it was coming. The king needed to tell Baekhyun about how the elders were pressuring him to finally introduce Baekhyun to the public. Chanyeol was hesitating. He wanted the younger safe and sound. Presenting him formally would increase the possibility of his sunshine getting endangered. Chanyeol had a lot of oppositions from different groups. They may use Baekhyun against him. This was what the king was afraid of.  
  
“Be ready, Baekhyun.”  
  
Baekhyun raised his head to look at his hyung.  
  
“I am going to formally introduce you to the public in three days.”  
  
  
Baekhyun bit his lip in anxiety as the palace ladies dressed him in the finest riding robes. It was a tradition for the future spouse of the king to have a riding ceremony with the main members of the royal family. Together with his hyung, they need to scour the whole capital with their horses as a way of introducing Baekhyun’s face to the public. Baekhyun was nervous – to face practically the whole kingdom was enough to rattle him. Additionally, although he was trained to ride horses since he was young, Baekhyun could not help but feel jittery for it had been a while since he rode one.  
  
His hair, which fell past his shoulders, was trimmed. The palace ladies tied it to a high ponytail. His fringes were styled and curled, framing his small face delicately. Dark kohl was used to line his beady eyes, making them look bigger. Colored powder was also dabbed onto his lids to accentuate his eyes. His cheeks were naturally pinkish. Rogue was also applied to his pale lips. Once he was fully geared up, he was prompted out of his chambers.  
  
The king was waiting for him. Baekhyun was wearing his white riding robes while Chanyeol had a red robe on. The king smiled warmly at the younger, taking his hand and squeezing them gently to assure the young one. His hyung’s broad shoulders were emphasized with the style of his clothing. Golden embroideries of the phoenix, the king’s well known symbol, made the king’s robes stand out. The king’s hair was brushed up, revealing his forehead and emphasizing his chiseled features.  
  
“Don’t be nervous,” Chanyeol whispered on his ear as they walked towards the palace entrance, “I’ll always be by your side.”  
  
Baekhyun offered his hyung a warm smile as a sign of gratitude.  
  
As the palace guards opened the doors, Baekhyun heaved a deep breath. This was it. Once his face was shown to the public, he could not run away anymore. Running away meant the possibility of receiving the highest form of punishment – death. Once he was introduced, Baekhyun was forever bound to his duties as the future spouse of the king. He frowned. Was he ready for this kind of responsibility?  
  
The king might have noticed his uneasiness. Chanyeol squeezed his hand gently again. Baekhyun smiled. As long as his hyung was beside him, he knew that he could do it. His Chanyeol hyung would take care of him. Baekhyun always felt the safest beside the older.  
  
“King Chanyeol of Joseon and his future spouse, Byun Baekhyun!”  
  
The royal announcer stated. The official proclamation soon followed by the beat of the drums and the cheer of the citizenry. The elders deemed it worthy to open the palace gates to the commoners. Once the two have fully stepped out, Baekhyun was overwhelmed with the amount of people present in the official introduction. People were cheering for them, happy faces welcoming him. Baekhyun smiled warmly at the citizens.  
  
Chanyeol was just sincerely looking at the smaller’s face, awed at the different facial reactions that passed through Baekhyun’s face.  
  
“The King will now present his future spouse to the imperial family!”  
  
The taller lead the smaller to the group of people sitting formally. Baekhyun gulped at the sight. There were eight people who were scrutinizing him from head to toe. Once they were in front of the royal family, Baekhyun quickly bowed down and stated his greetings.  
  
“This is my future spouse, Byun Baekhyun,” Chanyeol’s deep voice reverberated, “As my other half, I expect you all to give Baekhyun the same amount of respect and loyalty you give me.”  
  
“Absolutely, your highness,” an old man spoke, “Welcome to the family, Byun Baekhyun.”  
  
Baekhyun smiled at the old man and said his gratitude. One by one, Chanyeol introduced the members of the imperial family. Two of them were Chanyeol’s father’s, the previous king’s, brothers. Three were consorts of the previous king while three were Chanyeol’s half-brothers and one was his sister.  
  
“This is Sehun,” Chanyeol introduced him to the first prince, “My youngest brother. You have the same age.”  
  
Prince Sehun was as regal as his older brother. They shared the same stature and the same chiseled feature. The young prince smiled at Baekhyun and said his greetings. Although, at first, the prince looked unattached, Sehun proved to be a warm personality. His eye smile was enough as a proof. Baekhyun could see the playfulness mirrored on the young prince’s eyes. He could also see the admiration that Prince Sehun had for his older brother, the king.  
  
Next, they moved on to another prince who looked a bit like a shorter version of Prince Sehun.  
  
“This is my oldest brother, the first son of the king, Joonmyeon,” Chanyeol introduced him, “He is currently the crown prince of Joseon.”  
  
“It’s a pleasure to finally meet the king’s future spouse,” Prince Joonmyeon smiled as Baekhyun greeted him formally, “Welcome to the family, Baekhyun. Please do take good care of my brother.”  
  
Chanyeol chuckled. The king continued to explain why Prince Joonmyeon was not crowned as the king although the latter was older than Chanyeol. It was because the mother of Prince Jonnmyeon, who shared the same birth mother with Prince Sehun, was not the queen. Chanyeol’s mother was the empire’s queen, hence, the throne was passed onto his hyung.  
  
“This is Yoora, my older sister,” The king motioned at the beautiful lady in front of them, “We share the same mother and father. She is currently the crown princess. Yoora is married to another high-ranking official of the empire and stays at her palace at the summer capital of the kingdom with her spouse.”  
  
Baekhyun gulped. Yoora was beautiful for she looked like a female version of the king. The two shared the same eyes and lips. If the king was a lady, he would look exactly like his sister. They were carbon copies of each other.  
  
Yoora came closer to Baekhyun and hugged the smaller tightly, “I’m glad you are going to be part of the family, Baekhyun. Thank you for making my younger brother happy.”  
  
Baekhyun blushed as he heard her whisper.  
  
Finally, the king and his future spouse reached the last of the children of the previous king. Baekhyun instantly felt the hostile aura between the last brother and his hyung. Chanyeol’s face was straight. His jaws were locked, a sign that the older was restraining himself. The other brother, on the other hand, was just smiling innocently at the king.  
  
“Hello, younger brother,” the king’s brother said as he bowed his head, “It has been a while.”  
  
“Taeho,” Chanyeol acknowledged, “It would have been much more fortunate for you not to show up.”  
  
“Is that how you are going to treat your older brother?” Taeho mocked.  
  
Chanyeol ignored him and introduced Baekhyun, “Baekhyun, this is Taeho. He is my older brother.”  
  
Baekhyun bowed and did his greetings. This was the prince that he had seen when he was younger. He was also the one he met at his study room. Again, Baekhyun could feel uneasiness creeping into him. There was something about Taeho that set both Chanyeol and him off. Baekhyun made a mental note to avoid the prince as much as he could.  
  
“It’s nice to see you again, Baekhyun.”  
  
Chanyeol raised his brow at this. The king turned to the younger with questioning looks.  
  
“We… uh,” Baekhyun gulped, “We met a few days ago when he came to my study room.”  
  
The king opened his mouth to say something but was interrupted with the official announcer. It was time to move on. The riding tradition would start. Members of the imperial family were asked to get ready and ride on their horses. Each one had his or her own horse. Chanyeol had a black stallion while Baekhyun had a white one.  
  
“Are you sure you’re going to be fine?” The king asked worriedly as he helped Baekhyun mount his horse. The king gripped on the younger’s waist tightly as the young one put his leg onto the stirrup of the horse and pushed himself up to mount the horse, “You can ride with me if you want.”  
  
Baekhyun declined the king’s offer, “My horse riding skills, although may not be in par with yours, is not that bad, hyung. You should know that. My father saw to it that I can ride my own horse perfectly fine. I took up lessons when I was young, remember?”  
  
“Alright,” the king nodded, “My horse will be beside yours just in case something happens. We’re going out of the relative safety of the palace. We may encounter danger outside.”  
  
Once everyone had climbed up on their horses, Chanyeol led the group while Baekhyun made sure to stay beside the older. The king had a slow pace, letting Baekhyun catch up with him. They would scour practically the whole city to let citizens who were not able to go to the palace see the royal family. Palace guards were surrounding the group for safety so Chanyeol’s worries were appeased for a little bit.  
  
The city was hilly and mountainous, making their journey a little bit difficult. The riders needed to pull the reins of their horses tighter as they climbed up the hills. They stopped for a while as they climb the hilltop. The palace guards needed to check the safety of the place first before the imperial family could climb up to the top. This was the last stop. It was along the empire’s borders, hence the guards needed to check the safety of the territory. There may be rebels lurking around the last stop.  
  
As Baekhyun pulled his reins to stop, he could feel his horse neighing softly, a sign of the horse’s distress. His horse was sweating, getting her mane a little bit wet. Baekhyun raised his head and saw the sun brightly shining. It must be because of the weather conditions. Gently, Baekhyun ran his fingers across his horse’s mane to soothe her. The horse was alarmed at the touch, neighing a little bit loudly.  
  
“Is there something wrong, sunshine?” Chanyeol asked worriedly as the older pulled his horse towards Baekhyun’s.  
  
“She is distressed,” Baekhyun said as he continued soothing the horse, “I think it is because of the sudden temperature hike. It’s really hot outside.”  
  
A horse trainer was called to check upon the horses of the imperial family. All were fine although some of the horses, including Baekhyun’s, were distressed about the temperature hike. According to the trainer, it was the horses’ way of coping up with the sudden temperature change.  
  
The king nodded, “Do you want to continue the trail riding? We can go back now.”  
  
“No,” Baekhyun shook his head and smiled softly, “We only have a few meters anyway. Let’s finish it. I am sure that some of the citizens on the hill are waiting for their king.”  
  
“Are you sure?” The king asked.  
  
The younger just assured him. Once the palace guards finished scouring the place and deemed it safe, they continued the trail. It was the upward slope of the hill, thus they needed more speed and strength in pulling the reins of their horses. Baekhyun squeezed his legs to signal the horse to move but the latter paid no heed. In times like this, the horse needed further prompting. Baekhyun sighed as he tapped is horse with his foot. However, the horse still did not budge and just let out a distressed neigh.  
  
Chanyeol, who was leading the group, stopped when he noticed that Baekhyun was not by his side. He turned his horse around and found the young still in his spot.  
  
“Is there something wrong, sunshine?” Chanyeol asked as he turned his horse around to pick up the younger.  
  
“She won’t start walking,” Baekhyun worriedly said.  
  
“Try kicking her gently,” Taeho who was behind Baekhyun suggested.  
  
“Yes, sometimes, the horses just need a gentle kick,” Joonmyeon agreed, “Just don’t kick too hard, Baekhyun. Horses may have thick hides but they could experience pain if you kick too hard.”  
  
Baekhyun kicked the horse with his heel with a gentle force. The white horse suddenly neighed loudly and the young one could feel the sudden shift of the horse’s weight from the front to its hindquarters. The young one’s eyes doubled. He knew what was about to happen.  
  
Everything was a blur.  
  
“Baekhyun!”  
  
The frightened screams were drowned. Baekhyun could feel his heart beating fast as he leaned forward, putting his weight back to the front part of the horse while keeping the reins slack and loose. His horse reared out of control, her front legs were up in the air as the she stands upright.  
  
“Hold onto her neck!”  
  
Baekhyun did so. He held onto the horse’s neck for dear life. He could feel his hold slipping out as his horse reared. The horse, once fully on the ground, started to bolt away towards the top of the hill. Baekhyun tried to pull the reins and stop her, but the horse only ran faster. Baekhyun screamed in horror. The horse was out of control. He was heading towards the hilly top and god knows what would welcome him.  
  
The young Byun’s horse was wildly galloping in pain and they were headed to the hilltop. Behind the hilltop was a cliff. Chanyeol could not imagine the horror of Baekhyun falling. He began to pant and slam his horse’s reins quickly to make it run faster as he swore. Baekhyun’s horse was meters in front of him. And if he didn’t make it stop in time, Baekhyun could die.  
  
“She won’t stop!” Baekhyun screamed, his eyes lined with tears. He gripped the horse’s rein tightly. Every time he pulled, the horse neighed in pain and started to run faster without control.  
  
Chanyeol whipped his horse as fast as he could, steering his horse to the direction that Baekhyun’s horse bolted into. He could feel his heart drumming in fear. The veins in his arms and neck were throbbing. He could feel adrenaline rushing through him. He never felt fear in that magnitude before. If he was not able to reach and stop Baekhyun, the young one could die. His eyes were alert. He could see his brothers trying to catch up with Baekhyun too.  
  
“Chanyeol hyung!” Baekhyun shouted.  
  
“Don’t pull the reins, sunshine!” Chanyeol said, “Let the reins loose and grab the saddle strap!”  
  
The king noticed that the horse was in pain whenever the younger would pull her reins. Chanyeol also saw Taeho steering his horse to somewhere else. Instead of a straightly chasing after Baekhyun, Taeho was heading for a diagonal direction. Chanyeol cursed. How could he not think of that? It was pointless running after Baekhyun’s horse.  
  
Taeho, who was a good horse riding, was heading towards the cliff.  
  
Chanyeol quickly followed Taeho and the king noticed that the hilltop was grassy and had a soft landing. He eyed Baekhyun’s horse. The horse was out of control and she won’t stop bolting.  
  
“Taeho!” Chanyeol screamed with all his strength at the older who was much closer to Baekhyun then he was, “Soft landing!”  
  
Fortunately, although Taeho was a little bit far, he was able to hear Chanyeol. Taeho nodded, quickly understanding what Chanyeol meant. The two had the same horse trainer. They grew up honing their riding skills together. It was a signal that their horse trainer taught them.  
  
“Baekhyun!” Taeho said as he almost caught up with Baekhyun, “Jump off your horse!”  
  
Baekhyun looked back at the older and shook his head in fright, “N-no…”  
  
“Baekhyun! Come on!” Taeho angrily said, “Jump off or you’ll die!”  
  
“I’m afraid!” The young one sobbed.  
  
“We have no time! You trust Chanyeol right? Chanyeol wants you to jump off right now! Jump off your left side!”  
  
He needed to get off at his left side. Taeho was at his right. At the fast pace of the horse, Baekhyun would surely injure himself when he jumps off. But he trusted his hyung. He closed his eyes as he poised himself to jump off his horse.  
  
“That’s right,” Taeho said, “Kick your feet off the stirrups first!”  
  
Baekhyun did so. The young Byun knew how to get off the horse in case of emergencies like this. His trainer had taught him how to, but he never thought that it would be this hard to do so. He was afraid. What if he lands on the wrong way? He could break his neck and definitely die.  
  
“Trust Chanyeol, huh?” Taeho shouted as he saw hesitation on the young one’s face.  
  
Baekhyun closed his eyes tightly as he tumbled off his horse, his arms covering his head for protection. As soon as he reached the ground, Baekhyun could feel the searing pain on his back, arms, and legs. Everything was spinning. His vision was blurry. He could hear the distant calls for his name.  
  
“Baekhyun! Baekhyun!”  
  
His hyung’s voice overpowered the others as he felt himself fade into oblivion.  
  
  
  
  
  
_His whole body hurt._  
  
That was the first thought that came into Baekhyun’s mind as he opened his eyes. The ache was mostly felt at his back. He groaned as he tried to stand up but was stopped by an arm. Although his eyes were still a little bit blurry, he knew that it was his hyung. The manly scent and the calloused hands were a giveaway.  
  
“Don’t try to get up yet, sunshine,” his hyung’s stern voice filled the room, “You’re still in the recovery process.”  
  
Baekhyun tried to sit up straight. His hyung let out a tsk and helped him anyway. The king knew how stubborn he was. Then, everything came back. His memories of what happened were recalled, building fear and horror in his heart. Baekhyun started to whimper. The runaway horse… Him jumping off… His eyes suddenly filled with tears as he trembled in fear. Immediately, strong arms wrapped around his body.  
  
“Shhh…” The king whispered as he softly kissed the younger’s temple, “You’re safe now, sunshine… you’re safe now.”  
  
The young one hiccupped, his tears still streaming down his face. His hyung was already on the bed with him. Baekhyun did not even notice how the older got on his bed. Gently, Chanyeol wiped the tears away with his thumb. Although the taller’s fingers were calloused, Baekhyun sought comfort in the warm touch. He gripped on the older’s robes, burying his head on his hyung’s sturdy chest.  
  
When he was a child, whenever he was afraid, he would do the same thing to the older.  
  
Chanyeol hummed slowly. When Baekhyun was afraid, he would always stay beside the younger until he fell asleep as he hummed a soft lullaby. It always worked like magic.  
  
Baekhyun cried himself to sleep in the arms of the older. Chanyeol did not leave him. They were lying on Baekhyun’s bed. The younger’s upper body lying onto Chanyeol’s chest. It had been more than two days since the accident happened. Chanyeol could still feel the lingering fear. He saw with his own eyes Baekhyun’s near-death experience. His heart constricted as he replayed the memories, clutching the younger closer to him.  
  
The doctors had assured the king that Baekhyun was fortunate to only get a sprained wrist and small wounds and bruises from the incident. He was panicking when they brought Baekhyun back to the palace. His palace guards immediately looked into the incident further. Chanyeol had also commanded the dismissal of the official horse trainer who was supposed to ensure the safety of the riders and the horses. Since the accident, Chanyeol had not gotten a wink of sleep.  
  
Baekhyun’s whole body would ache, the doctors had warned him. Because of that, the younger had to take a numbing medicine. The doctors also deemed it better for Baekhyun to rest and sleep. Chanyeol sighed as he said a mental prayer to the gods. He was thankful that Baekhyun was safe and the younger only sustained minor injuries.  
  
The king could not fall asleep… not yet. Earlier, when Baekhyun was asleep, he received the report of the palace guards regarding the incident. As they looked deeper, they had discovered that the incident may not be accident at all.  
  
_“Your Highness, it is highly probable that what happened earlier was perfectly staged,” the head guard told him, “We found a nail pierced on a hidden part of the horse. Whenever the reins are pulled, the nail digs deeper, causing pain to the horse. This is the reason why the horse went out of control.”  
  
“I need to find who did it,” Chanyeol said dangerously, “Let this matter be just between us. I cannot trust anyone right now.”  
  
The palace guard nodded his head, “I will look deeply into the matter, Your Highness. Do you want me to increase the number of young Master’s guards?”  
  
Chanyeol agreed, “Yes, please, but be inconspicuous with it. I don’t want to worry Baekhyun and I don’t want to alert whoever was after him.”_  
  
The king could not sleep because of the conversation. Someone was out there trying to get Baekhyun and the king was powerless as long as he did not know who was it. Chanyeol closed his eyes and inhaled Baekhyun’s natural vanilla scent to calm him. Soon enough, he felt exhaustion taking over him.  
  
“You’ll be safe, sunshine, I promise you that.”  
  
  
  
  
  
It took two weeks for Baekhyun to finally recover from his injuries. His wrist was as good as new and his wounds were now healing perfectly. His bruises were starting to lighten up although they were still visible. His fast recovery was due to his hyung taking care of him. The king had to exercise his authority over the younger whenever Baekhyun would want to get out of bed. The doctor strictly advised Baekhyun to have a bed rest, which Chanyeol made sure that the younger followed.  
  
The young Byun smiled as he recalled how his hyung took care of him. Baekhyun would request the king to lie down beside him every night, just in case the nightmares from the accident come back. In the mornings, breakfasts with the king were spent on his bed, the older peppering him with morning kisses as they get up for the day. Chanyeol would then leave for his royal duties, but his hyung would leave books on his bedside table to accompany Baekhyun. The king would return at the afternoon to check on Baekhyun.  
  
Baekhyun sighed. Those were his happy days. Now, he was back to studying with his tutor. Baekhyun pouts at the pile of books that he needed to finish before the official engagement party which was coming soon.  
  
“Baekhyun, you need to work harder,” the tutor said as he gave out a book to the young one, “The official engagement is happening soon.”  
  
“I know,” the young Byun nodded.  
  
The following days were spent studying and preparing for the party. It was the final step before the wedding. Baekhyun had asked himself all this time… _why was he fine with being married to his hyung?_ When he did not know that it was his Chanyeol hyung, Baekhyun disagreed vehemently with the arranged marriage. But now, he was honestly happy about it.  
  
Just thinking about being with his hyung made his heart flutter. It was a warming thought – something that made him feel light and sincerely happy.  
  
But with these exultant feelings came a feeling of perturbation. He would be the king’s other half. Responsibilities would be entrusted to him. He should be the empire’s support. Sometimes, he would doubt his capabilities in being his hyung’s anchor.  
  
Baekhyun sighed. These thoughts had always plague him.  
  
As soon as his study session finished, Baekhyun finally had time to himself. Usually, his hyung would pick him up after he was done, but for that day, the king had state matters to attend to.  
  
Baekhyun found himself walking at the palace gardens. The sun was setting, giving off a pinkish glow to the garden. It was one of the young one’s favorite places in the palace. It served as some sort of a happy place for the young one. It was a place where Baekhyun could breathe easy. The scent of spring was calming and it brought serenity to him. As much as he had strong attachment with his hyung, Baekhyun still enjoyed his time alone.  
  
The young Byun reached the lotus lake. The scenery brought a smile to his face for it was the place where he had first seen his hyung.  
  
“Baekhyun?”  
  
A deep voice interrupted. Baekhyun quickly turned around and saw Taeho fondly smiling at the younger. Baekhyun immediately bowed and said his greetings to the prince.  
  
“What are you doing here? It is almost night time. Chanyeol would definitely worry looking for you.”  
  
Baekhyun blushed. Ever since the accident, everyone in the palace noticed how protective the king had been with the younger.  
  
“I haven’t expressed my gratitude, Prince Taeho,” Baekhyun said, “Thank you for saving me from the runaway horse.”  
  
Taeho chuckled with a glint in his eyes, “It was my duty to save the future half of the king. You gave everyone a fright there, Baekhyun, especially my younger brother. Chanyeol has always been composed even when faced with adversaries. I have never seen him so shaken.”  
  
Baekhyun just looked at the older in confusion.  
  
“You seem to be my brother’s weakness,” Taeho commented.  
  
The two started to walk, enjoying the peaceful scenery together. It was a peaceful walk. The servants, who were supposed to be following Baekhyun, were commanded by the prince to let them have their privacy. Baekhyun was hesitant at first, but gave in. Although he was uneasy with the prince, he needed to adhere to the older’s request as a moral obligation.  
  
Baekhyun felt the need to indulge the prince. After all, the younger owed the prince his life.  
  
The prince continued telling stories about Chanyeol and how they grew up together. Baekhyun would laugh, face crinkling up with a smile, whenever the prince would tell him funny stories about the young Chanyeol. The discomfort he felt with the prince was slowly diminishing. Prince Taeho, even though he had a tensioned relationship with Chanyeol, was a good conversationalist. Baekhyun honestly enjoyed talking with a new person other than his palace servants, the tutor, and the king.  
  
“Ooof!”  
  
They were walking near the lake when Baekhyun slipped and almost fell to the water. Taeho quickly grabbed the younger’s waist to stabilize him.  
  
Baekhyun’s cheeks flushed.  
  
He had always been clumsy, it was embarrassing. Their position was enough to embarrass the younger further. Baekhyun’s hands were curled on the older’s robes while the prince had his arms around his waist to support him.  
  
“Hands off.”  
  
A stern voice suddenly interrupted. Baekhyun gasped as he quickly released himself from Taeho’s hold and quickly offered a smile at the newcomer.  
  
“Hyung!”  
  
Baekhyun skipped towards the older, still unaware of the building tension between Chanyeol and Taeho. Once fully in front of the king, Baekhyun turned around to face Taeho and said his gratitude.  
  
“Thank you for saving me again, Prince Taeho.”  
  
The prince just shrugged his shoulder, smiling at the almost fuming king, “You should always be careful, Baekhyun. Danger lurks everywhere in the palace.”  
  
“Don’t come closer to Baekhyun,” Chanyeol hissed.  
  
“Hyung—“ Baekhyun was about to defend Taeho when the king cut him off.  
  
“Stay away from Taeho, Baekhyun.”  
  
“B-but—“  
  
All protests by the younger were unheard. The king held the smaller’s wrist and pulled him away from the scene, leaving Taeho who had an innocent smile on. Baekhyun looked back at the prince and mouthed his apologies about the king’s disrespectful behavior.  
  
Chanyeol took him to the king’s chamber. Once they were inside, Baekhyun immediately pulled back his hand from the older’s hold. Confusion was building up in Baekhyun’s heart. Along with it was anger.  
  
“Hyung!” Baekhyun started, “What was that all about, huh?”  
  
“I warned you, Byun Baekhyun, I told you to stay away from Taeho. He’s not someone you could trust inside the palace. Taeho is a snake.”  
  
Baekhyun just had his mouth ajar at the venomous statement, “He’s your older brother! He’s your family. How can you accuse him of something like this?”  
  
“Stop protecting him!” Chanyeol bellowed at the younger, “You know nothing about the palace, Byun Baekyun! Stop being naïve for once!”  
  
Baekhyun gulped. Of course, he knew nothing about the palace. He was an outsider after all. Baekhyun had heard the phrase “know nothing about the palace” from the servants whenever they would talk about him. The young used to ignore them. He knew that he, indeed, knew nothing about the palace life. He was not graceful. He was clumsy. He was free-spirited. Everything about him was not suited for palace life.  
  
But coming from his hyung, it felt like an insult – a slap about how he was not suited to be his hyung’s other half.  
  
He would never be in par with his hyung. He would always be lacking in comparison with the king.  
  
And his hyung thought so too.  
  
Baekhyun was trying so hard to adapt with the palace life... but he was starting to see that maybe he was not meant to in the palace.  
  
“You’re being inconsiderate right now,” Baekhyun tried to keep his tears in. He had never been this angry at his hyung. “If you want someone who knows how the palace works, you should have chosen someone else to be your spouse. Being your future spouse was not even my choice.”  
  
After the bitter statement, Baekhyun turned around and walked away from the king. His throat was constricting as he navigated his way towards his chambers. Before fully entering his room, he asked the servants not to allow anyone, the king included, to enter his room. He wanted to be alone.  
  
Without bothering to change his robes, Baekhyun dove into his bed and muffled his sobs onto his pillow.  
  
He was given a few minutes of silence and solitude before he heard the opening of his door. The young one did not bother looking at his intruder. From the sounds of footsteps alone, he knew who it was.  
  
It did not take long before he felt his bed dip at the weight of the king. Chanyeol’s comforting fingers running through his hair. Still, the young one did not acknowledge the older.  
  
“I’m very sorry, sunshine.”  
  
The voice sounded both guilty and worried.  
  
“I was out of line. I did not mean those words I said.”  
  
Although he did not acknowledge the presence of the king, Baekhyun was listening to the older.  
  
“I just want to protect you.”  
  
Baekhyun turned around, “I am sorry too, hyung… but why?”  
  
Chanyeol raised his brow in confusion, “Why?”  
  
“Why do you want me to stay away from Prince Taeho?”  
  
The king sighed. Baekhyun knew that his hyung had something he was hiding from the younger. If it concerned him, Baekhyun needed to know. His hyung had always been dealing with matters related to him behind his back. He was not a kid anymore. He had the right to know about matters that concern him.  
  
Baekhyun could see the king hesitating for a moment before taking in a deep breath.  
  
“Listen carefully, sunshine,” the older said as he ran his thumb over the smaller’s face to wipe away the dried tear tracks, “The runaway horse incident was not an accident after all.”  
  
The young one gasped.  
  
“It was staged. The horse you were riding was deliberately injured so every time you pull the reins, the horse feels the pain. It was an inside job. Only people in the palace could be able to place their hands on the royal horses. We have interrogated the royal horse trainer, but he pleaded that he was innocent. He said that he checked the horses before the riding ceremony and everything was in shape and safe.”  
  
“Then… w-who?”  
  
“We still do not have a lead on who did it,” Chanyeol’s face was grim, “Hence, I plead you to not trust anyone at the moment, especially the ones inside the palace.”  
  
Dread filled Baekhyun’s heart. Someone was after him, “But why me?”  
  
Chanyeol sighed. His hands cradling the smaller’s face.  
  
“I have many enemies, sunshine. They may use you against me.”  
  
  
  
  
  
The engagement party was not as tiring as the riding ceremony, but Baekhyun’s neck was suffering from the headdress that he had on.  
  
Baekhyun was woken up early in the morning to get ready for the ceremony. The palace ladies bathe with jasmine oils in the royal bathhouse, scrubbing every nook and corner of his body – that made Baekhyun flushed in embarrassment. The servant ladies would just coo at the future spouse of the king whenever he would let out bashful squeaks. His skin was naturally smooth and pale and it turned into a lovely shade of light pink because of the warm water.  
  
After bathing, the young Byun was dressed in silken robes. They were blue in color. Baekhyun lost count of how many layers of the robe he had worn. The lustrous fabrics created a beautiful contrast with his skin, emphasizing his pallor even more. HIs eyes were again lined with kohl and rogue was painted on his lids and cheeks. His lips were pinkish in tone.His hair was tied to a bun and a headdress was placed. The headdress resembled a crown, albeit it was bigger than common ones. Blue gems, resembling his robes in color, and silver wires were used to design the headdress.  
  
The ceremony, which was open to the public, started with a musical performance. Baekhyun was delighted for he loved music. It was a percussion quartet. Drums and gongs were used to create a lively melody. Children were clapping along with the beat of the drums and some were even dancing. The next performance was a fan dance. Court ladies led the dancing with wide colorful fans.  
  
Now, Baekhyun, who was sitting next to the king, was waiting for the engagement presents.  
  
He looked at his left and examined his hyung. The king was also wearing blue robes, but the older’s was more elegant and had more phoenix designs. His broad shoulders were once again emphasized because of the golden shoulder trappings which were part of his robes. His eyes are twinkling in delight, making his usual stern look more approachable.  
  
Baekhyun smiled as he watched the older playfully nudge a child who was presenting a gift to the royal couple.  
  
“Are you tired?” Chanyeol whispered to him. They were now waiting for the next one who would present a gift to the couple.  
  
Baekhyun shook his head, “I just cannot feel my neck. I think the headdress is too heavy for me.”  
  
Chanyeol chuckled, “Just a little bit more, sunshine, and the ceremony would be finished.”  
  
“Hello, your majesties,” an old man, probably a farmer, greeted the couple next. “I brought helpful herbal tonic for the king.”  
  
“Oh,” Chanyeol said, “Only for me?”  
  
The farmer smiled, “Yes, only for you, your majesty. These are herbal tonic that I have brewed especially for the royal couple. They are fresh, picked directly from my land. I am just a humble farmer, but please do take these tonics which would help the king’s health.”  
  
A servant quickly received the gifts. Before being passed on the royal couple, food presents must first be checked by the royal servants. There had been cases in past when the food was poisoned in attempts to kill or injure some members of the imperial family.  
  
“But why is it just for me?” Chanyeol asked the old man.  
  
“Your lovely soon to be spouse would benefit with the after effects of the tonic,” the old man smiled warmly at Baekhyun, “He would be very much delighted, your majesty.”  
  
The couple were still confused. The tonics were served on a metal glass in front of Chanyeol once they had been deemed poison free.  
  
“The Gingko tonic which is on your right helps in relaxing your blood vessels and allows healthy blood flow, your majesty.”  
  
Chanyeol grabbed the first glass and drank it as the old farmer continued explaining the health benefits of the two drinks.  
  
“It helps in getting you excited, specially for sexual needs by allowing healthy blood flow down there.”  
  
The king would have spitted the drink if it weren’t for the eyes trained on them. It would be considered rude to reject gifts in the engagement ceremony, hence security and safety were always checked before allowing people to present gifts to the royal couple. Baekhyun flushed at the insinuation. Suddenly, the temperature rose, prompting Baekhyun to use his hands to fan his pink-tinted face.  
  
Chanyeol gulped, licking his dry lower lips.  
  
“Please take the next one too,” the older farmer smiled at the couple’s reaction.  
  
The king grabbed the next glass and finished it in one go.  
  
“The last one is a ginseng,” the farmer continued explaining, a teasing tone could be heard in his voice “It improves fatigue and builds up a man’s stamina. I suggest that you drink ginseng every night for your nightly activities with your future spouse. Too often, most married couples only have time for each other during late at night. Ginseng will help your stamina for your nightly loving, your majesty.”  
  
Baekhyun shivered at the _nightly activities._  
  
The public just screamed in delight at the amusing sight of the royal couple. The young Byun was blushing while the king was trying to keep his straight face.  
  
Finally, after grueling hours of receiving presents from the citizens and from leaders of different lands, it was time for the final arc of the ceremony – the tea ceremony. The future spouse of the king needed to perform tea ceremony in front of his future half.  
  
Baekhyun sighed. His neck was really killing him, but he needed to keep his head straight. As the servants placed the equipment needed for the tea ceremony. Delicate celadon pottery for tea were placed in a small table. The set of pottery was designed with silver flowers on the side, making them look even more beautiful and appealing. Baekhyun faced the king and sat in a kneeling position – his soles touching his bottom.  
  
Using his right hand, Baekhyun gracefully removed the lids of the tea container and pot. Slow movements were the key, Baekhyun remembered his tutor saying when they practiced the tea ceremony. His hands were beautiful, complementing the delicate and artful movements needed in tea ceremonies. Baekhyun poured water on from the container to the cooling pot, waiting for the temperature to go down before pouring the water to the teapot.  
  
The lid is placed back to the pot. Getting the teapot, Baekhyun gently poured down tea on the first cup. The natural sound of tea was pleasing to the ears. The young one smiled proudly at his hyung. There was a controlled flow of water and the bubbles created were beautiful and lovely. This was an important step since it signified luck for the couple.  
  
Baekhyun watched the tea as it is poured to his hyung’s cup. It was a greenish color at first, but as he continued pouring the tea, the silver linings of the cup turned into a different color. Baekhyun’s hand trembled at the sight and raised his eyes to look at the king.  
  
Chanyeol must have seen it too based on the frowned upon his face.  
  
The young one gulped as he finished pouring the king a drink. Silver in dining ware served two purposes. First, it was for the aesthetics. Second, it was served as a detection for poison. Once the silver linings turned another color, the food or drink served was poisoned.  
  
Rejecting the tea poured by Baekhyun meant rejecting Baekhyun as a spouse. The king had no choice but to drink the poisoned tea. If Chanyeol did not drink the tea, everyone would know about the poison. However, Baekhyun would be put in the spotlight. Baekhyun was the one who prepared the tea, even boiling the leaves. No one can touch the tea ceremony ingredients and equipments except for the king’s future spouse.  
  
Not drinking the tea and alerting everyone, especially the public, about the poison could only mean death to Baekhyun. Whoever puts the king’s life in danger deliberately would receive the highest form of punishment.  
  
Chanyeol looked at the younger and smiled, trying to comfort the distressed Baekhyun. The young one was about to grab the teacup when the king beat him into it.  
  
Baekhyun tried to get the cup and throw away its contents when his hyung got to it first and drank the cup in one go. The younger’s eyes widened at the action. Chanyeol put down the cup as if nothing happened and smiled tightly at the public who cheered for the royal couple.  
  
That was the end of the ceremony.  
  
Once the royal announcer stated that the ceremony was finished, Baekhyun quickly stood up and helped his hyung inside the palace.  
  
“Quick!” Baekhyun commanded once they were inside the safety of the household, “Call the royal doctor! The king has been poisoned!”  
  
Chanyeol who was dangling off Baekhyun was coughing and wheezing. His eyes were red while his face was pale. His vision was blurry. He could also feel his head pounding. The older began vomiting.  
  
“Hyung!” Baekhyun said worriedly as the two stumbled on the floor, tears started to form in his eyes. Baekhyun was supporting his hyung’s weight. He gently grabbed the taller’s face, and wiped the liquid off with his own robes, “Hold on, okay? The doctor’s coming.”  
  
The king’s eyes rolled and unconsciousness finally took over.  
  
“Hyung!” sobbed Baekhyun.  
  
The young Byun never left his hyung’s side except when he was dragged out of the older’s room to let the doctor examine the king in peace. Baekhyun bit his nails as he walked back and forth on the hallway in front of the king’s chambers, waiting for the results of the examination. The palace guards were eyeing him, never allowing the smaller out of their sight.  
  
Baekhyun sighed as he prayed mentally to the gods. Was this how his hyung felt when Baekhyun experienced the runaway horse incident? Baekhyun trembled upon remembering it.  
  
He stopped at the thought. _Could it be…?_ Could this poisoning incident be related to what happened weeks ago? It was highly probable. It was not farfetched. Someone inside the palace wanted either him or the king dead, but why? The tea was boiled inside the palace. Baekhyun was the one who boiled the green tea leaves. Only the servants were able to look after it.  
  
_One of the servants?_  
  
Baekhyun was cut off his reverie with the sound of an opening door. Once the doors finally opened after almost two grueling hours, Baekhyun quickly walked towards the royal doctor and inquired the condition of the king.  
  
“His highness is now safe,” the doctor assured the future spouse, “We were able to extract the poison before it completely spread inside his body. He would need complete rest tonight. He would be fine tomorrow morning as long as he takes the herbal tea that I prepared for him every now and then. The king was also given an antidote.”  
  
Baekhyun nodded and took note of when to let Chanyeol drink the herbal tea.  
  
“I’ll leave the king in your hands, young master Byun,” the doctor bowed and went away.  
  
The servants offered to take care of the king, but Baekhyun insisted to do it. The young one entered the king’s chambers and stayed beside the king. His hyung was still pale, although his breathing was now back to normal. The older was sleeping. Baekhyun sighed as he sat on the chair beside the taller’s bed, holding the older’s hand gently.  
  
Somehow, Baekhyun could not help but feel guilty. Although he was not the one that put the poison, his hyung was not able to reject the cup because Baekhyun offered it to him.  
  
“I’m sorry, hyung,” Baekhyun started, “I’m sorry for causing this… I should’ve gotten rid of the contents of the teapot instead of letting you drink it.”  
  
The young one stayed by the older’s side without a blink of sleep. Baekhyun was eyeing the sandglass placed on the king’s bedside table. It signified when the patient should drink the herbal tea.  
  
There was still no update on the plot to kill the king. Baekhyun took it upon himself to command the palace army to look into the matter deeply. The general, who Chanyeol trusted, talked with him earlier about the incident and Baekhyun gave his two cents about it. The culprit is inside. They could not trust anyone. Everyone was under scrutiny. The court ladies, who were responsible for the whole ceremony, were all held liable. They were all currently being interrogated.  
  
After a few hours, Baekhyun decided to replace the cloth on the older’s forehead. The king had a fever as a side effect of the poisoning. Baekhyun, with a basin of lukewarm water, grabbed a new cloth and soaked it into the basin, placing it on the taller’s forehead after squeezing the cloth to get rid of the extra liquid.  
  
Baekhyun would need to serve the tea soon but the king was still sleeping.  
  
With soft pats on the cheeks, the younger tried to wake up the king, “Hyung, hyung.”  
  
The older groaned and immediately held the hand softly tapping his cheeks.  
  
“B-Baekhyun?” The older’s hoarse voice filled the room.  
  
“You need to drink the herbal tea,” Baekhyun said, “You’re okay now. The doctor was able to extract the poison. You just need to stay in bed and rest until you fully heal.”  
  
Slowly, Baekhyun helped the older man to sit up straight. With quick movements, Baekhyun offered the hot tea to the king, supporting the glass with his left hand while his right was on the taller’s back. The young one tipped the glass over the older’s chapped lips. Chanyeol took hesitant sips.  
  
“You need to finish it,” Baekhyun reminded the king when Chanyeol scrunched his face because of the bitter taste.  
  
King Chanyeol, with all the honors he brought to his empire and his mighty stature, becomes a whining kid whenever he had to take his medicine.  
  
Baekhyun softly chuckled. His hyung never changed. He could still remember how the older tried to run away from Baekhyun’s father when he came down with a flu while visiting the younger Byun. His father was forcing the young Chanyeol to take the bitter medicine.  
  
“Are you laughing at me, sunshine?” Chanyeol winced, his throat was still dry.  
  
Baekhyun spent the next minutes making sure that his hyung was comfortable and was not in pain. Chanyeol just chuckled at the younger as the latter strictly ordered the older to stay on his bed.  
  
“You did well today, sunshine,” Chanyeol said as he caressed the younger’s hair and kissed his temple.  
  
Baekhyun, who was hesitating at first, was lying beside the king. The older had forced the younger to join him on bed. Chanyeol had seen the distress on Baekhyun’s face. He knew that the younger had not slept. Baekhyun looked exhausted but the younger was too stubborn to take a rest and sleep.  
  
Baekhyun sighed, “I am sorry, hyung… because of me you were poisoned.”  
  
“It was not your fault,” Chanyeol firmly said, “Look at me, sunshine.”  
  
The younger did. Slowly, Chanyeol began to rain soft kisses all over Baekhyun’s face, making the younger blush at the action.  
  
“You did well today. You took care of me. You were composed and did the right thing. You saved me.”  
  
Baekhyun smiled and buried his head deeper into his hyung’s neck, inhaling the older’s scent.  
  
“Let’s be each other’s pillar of strength.”  
  
  
  
  
  
The next days were spent in bliss. Everyone in the palace saw the change between the royal couple. They were more intimate… more personal. The two had always had a close relationship, but something was different – a good different. The connection between the two was more apparent. The king would always look down the younger as if the younger was a million stars – in awe, wonder, and complete bliss. The young one, on the other hand, would offer his brightest smile to the older – the smile that was exclusively reserved for the king.  
  
The two had found paradise within the small actions.  
  
However, when Baekhyun was not around, the king goes back to his stern nature. Chanyeol had worked hard in finding the culprit to the incidents the past months. It was an undisclosed matter. Only the king and his trusted general were involved. The poisoning event was also hidden from the people both outside and inside the palace. Only a few palace servants and guards knew about the incident. Everyone who knew swore secrecy of the attempt to kill the king.  
  
It was Chanyeol’s orders – he wanted control. If the news about him being poisoned spread, the first suspect would be Baekhyun. Additionally, hiding what happened would make it easier to find the culprit since the general and the king would be able to investigate without alerting the perpetrator.  
  
Anyone could be the culprit. Anyone was a suspect. They cannot trust anyone inside the palace.  
  
Chanyeol would always spend stretch his days just to look into the matter deeply. The general had found clues, and they were strategizing their next move.  
  
One thing was certain: someone was out there to oust Chanyeol from the throne.  
  
Baekhyun was the first target. With Chanyeol’s upcoming marriage with the younger, the king was solidifying his political power over the officials. Baekhyun’s father, Byun Baekho, was an influential official. More than half of the officials would absolutely plead loyalty to the king when he marries Baekhyun. Official Byun had garnered himself a following among the courthouse.  
  
Eliminating Baekhyun would mean losing the favor of the officials. Chanyeol would also lose Official Byun’s trust.  
  
Chanyeol’s own death would render the empire kingless, making the throne open to anyone since Chanyeol does not have an heir. Eliminating Chanyeol, although the most definite way to get the throne, was harder than injuring his future spouse.  
  
The king massaged his forehead as he removed his robe. He decided to take a warm bath to destress after being forced by the elders to drink the gingko and ginseng tonic. He was told that the tonics would help him relax after a period of hard work. The royal bathhouse was prepared for the king. It was a hidden tub made from rocks. The water flowing was warm, making the tub feel like a hot spring.  
  
He flexed his back muscles. A huge phoenix tattoo was on his back – its wings widely spread at the expanse of his back shoulders. Chanyeol got it when he was in an expedition in the west. It was made by a tattoo artist of an ancient tribe in the west when the younger Chanyeol traversed the silk road. The tattoo artist was an elusive one – only tattooing selected people. It was also the artist that determined the design of the tattoo.  
  
Chanyeol, who was asked to lie down, woke up with a phoenix tattoo on his back. Ever since then, Chanyeol had been well known in the west as the phoenix. He had also adapted the phoenix as the symbol for his reign in the empire. He rejected the dragon designs used by the previous kings.  
  
The phoenix was tattooed by the artist after the latter had seen how Chanyeol fought against the barbarians of the Tibetan plateau and almost died. However, like a phoenix, he rose from the ashes and led his army to victory.  
  
Now, people call knew him as the phoenix king. Even his throne was called the phoenix throne.  
  
Once fully naked, Chanyeol went closer to the huge tub that could house almost ten people.  
  
“Ahhh!”  
  
An adorable shriek welcomed the king.  
  
Baekhyun who was naked quickly scrambled away from the king and soaked his body further into the water.  
  
Chanyeol, at that moment, did not know whether to thank or curse the elders. So this was what they were onto. The king had been distrustful about the elders forcing him to drink the tonic and pushing him inside the bathhouse. They, indeed, had hidden intentions other than letting the king de-stress.  
  
“I didn’t know you were going to t-take a bath, hyung,” Baekhyun quickly said eyes closed as he turned away from the fully naked king, “I’ll go now since I’m almost done taking a bath.”  
  
Baekhyun’s head was facing the opposite direction as he tried to stand up, his hands immediately grabbing his towel to hide his own nakedness. Chanyeol just chuckled at the action. The younger’s cheeks were tinted pink. His one eye was close as he quickly tiptoed his way out of the bathhouse.  
  
“What?” Baekhyun scrunched his forehead as the door won’t budge when he tried to open it, “Hyung, the door won’t budge. Will the servants hear me if I shout for them to help me open the door?”  
  
“Don’t bother, sunshine,” Chanyeol said as he dipped himself in the huge tub sitting, “The elders probably locked the door.”  
  
“W-why?” Baekhyun asked confusedly.  
  
“I don’t know,” Chanyeol shrugged his shoulders. It would be winter soon. The temperature was dropping. The warm water was a blessing. The older eyed the younger who was still standing near the door, “You might want to dip yourself in the water, sunshine. It’s getting colder.”  
  
Baekhyun was shivering while standing.  
  
“B-but—“  
  
“Come on,” Chanyeol patted the spot next to him, “Don’t be shy.”  
  
With hesitation, Baekhyun went closer to the tub, “Will you turn the other way for a while, hyung?”  
  
Chanyeol did and smiled as he heard the splash of water. Once he turned his head back to the younger, he saw Baekhyun sitting far away from him. The young one dipped his body until the waters reached his lips, casually blowing bubbles on the surface. His eyes still wary of their situation and were looking anywhere but the older. The tip of Baekhyun’s ears were tinted too. It was an adorable sight, Chanyeol chuckled.  
  
“Why are you laughing?” Baekhyun pouted at the older.  
  
“You’re adorable, sunshine.”  
  
The younger flushed even more.  
  
“Are you shy about your body?” Chanyeol teased him further, “We’re both men.”  
  
“Stop it,” Baekhyun whined.  
  
Chanyeol laughed out loud and suddenly rose from his place, coming closer to Baekhyun. The younger’s eyes doubled as he tried to look away. The king grabbed his arm, catching the younger off guard. With the king’s strength and force, Baekhyun found himself stumbling the older’s lap.  
  
“Wha—“  
  
“Ah, this is so much better,” Chanyeol grinned at the younger on his lap.  
  
Baekhyun was straddling the older. His knees were on both sides of his hyung’s waist. His arms have found their way on the taller’s chest while the latter had his toned arms around his waist. Their position was intimate… too intimate. They were currently skin to skin, yet it was not an uninvited feeling. It was warm and comfortable, if Baekhyun was to be honest.  
  
Chanyeol looked at the young one. His eyes traveled down the seductive collarbones as he followed a drop of water rolling down the supple flesh. The king gulped. Was it just him or did the temperature did go up? He groaned when he remembered the elders forcing him to drink two tonics.  
  
It finally sank into him what the tonics were.  
  
They were virility tonics – the drink that people would drink to increase their libido.  
  
_The elders were a cunning bunch._  
  
He cursed the old ones mentally as he did a series of gulps. Had Baekhyun always been this alluring? Chanyeol could feel the smaller’s pale and smooth skin against his own skin which is rough and tanned. With his huge hands, he noticed how he could grasp Baekhyun’s full waist – that was how small his little sunshine is. The younger’s plump rump was directly lying on his erection. Chanyeol groaned at the friction when Baekhyun tried to stand up.  
  
“D-do you want me to help you with that?”  
  
The bashful offer came. Chanyeol moaned further.  
  
“Sunshine, you do not need to do it if you feel obligated. I won’t force you into something that you are not consenting.”  
  
“B-but I want to… let’s d-do it.”  
  
Oh.  
  
That caught Chanyeol off guard. Baekhyun looked at his hyung with a determined gaze, albeit a little bit shy.  
  
Chanyeol looked at the younger with eyes full of passion. Slowly, the older began peppering the younger’s neck with butterfly kisses. They were soft and reassuring, bringing both comfort and tingle to Baekhyun. His hands began dangerously travelling down the smaller’s rear and cupped the two globes, making Baekhyun squeak both in excitement and surprise.  
  
The older captured Baekhyun’s lips as he maneuvered and carried the smaller towards the wide wooden plank. It was the least comfortable area, but they had no choice. Chanyeol grabbed the towels along the way and threw them on the wooden plank. Gently, he laid Baekhyun down as he captured the younger’s lips. They were soft and sweet. Chanyeol could feel Baekhyun responding to his kisses. He smiled as he delved deeper, prompting the younger’s lips open with his tongue.  
  
Chanyeol trailed kisses down the younger’s neck, leaving soft hues of purple and pink on the smooth span of skin. Baekhyun moaned as the older sweetly lick off a newly formed love bite as form of soothing the pain away.  
  
“You’re beautiful, sunshine,” the older said as he continued raining kisses on every nook and corner of the smaller’s body, “Don’t ever be shy because you are more than lovely.”  
  
The smaller shivered at the intensity of the older’s eyes.  
  
Baekhyun let the king reign over him, body and soul. The young one completely embraced his hyung. He bared everything. Soft moans filled the bath house – they were like chimes to the older’s ears. Baekhyun closed his eyes as he bathed himself in the pleasure, letting himself get lost in euphoria and bliss.  
  
The Phoenix king had worshipped the young Byun sweetly and slowly, yet with full vigor.  
  
The soft kisses turned into something more. They were unhurried, yet impassioned.  
  
Chanyeol stopped for a while and eyed his masterpiece.  
  
Baekhyun’s body was littered with small hues of pink and purple.  
  
The older, after grabbing the oils, started to breach through the young one. One… two fingers at first. Chanyeol was as gentle as he could, letting Baekhyun adjust first to the intrusion before continuing his ministrations. He needed to prepare the younger for what was coming while kissing away the discomfort which the younger felt at the first push.  
  
Slowly, Chanyeol continued by adding another finger. Baekhyun squirmed, holding onto the older’s upper arms tightly. He closed his eyes as he rolled his head back, welcoming everything that Chanyeol was giving him.  
  
“You’re beautiful and strong, sunshine,” the older praised as he littered small kisses on younger's neck.  
  
Once Baekhyun was fully prepared, Chanyeol aligned himself ready. Baekhyun’s eyes were glinting when the younger gave a nod – a permission to finally be one.  
  
Chanyeol wasted no time and pushed gently inside the smaller. The two moaned at the sensation. First was pain. Then, there was warmth. Baekhyun’s legs were tied around the taller’s waist. His arms holding onto the older’s shoulders. They started with gentle movements – fluid and artistic just like the gentle stream of the water from the bamboo shoot.  
  
The older was fully sheathed inside the younger’s warmth. They were one – it was unitive. Slow movements gradually gained speed. Moans were a music that encouraged further dancing. The beat was slowly getting impatient. The rhythm became erratic, yet the two were still in perfect harmony. The melody was building up. Baekhyun could feel that delicious coiling on his stomach.  
  
He was near paradise.  
  
Chanyeol continued the rapid snapping of his hips. He was running after the beat – trying to bring himself closer to the end.  
  
_More._ Baekhyun pleaded.  
  
Chanyeol heeded.  
  
They were near the climax. Everything was building up. The pieces were slowly getting in place.  
  
There was carnal pleasure.  
  
And yet, love overpowered everything. Love transcended both individuals and coalesced the two in a single moment of bliss and intimacy.  
  
“I love you,” the younger confessed as the both of them reached heaven.  
  
_Until kingdom come._  
  
  
  
  
  
Baekhyun woke up with his sore back. He groaned as he tried to stand up, memories of the night before was coming back. He found himself in the king’s chambers. Baekhyun blushed as he remembered what happened. They did it. Twice. Baekhyun was so spent that he did not remember how they were able to go back to the king’s chambers. He was alone when he woke up. The sun was already up and was shining brightly.  
  
He woke up later than usual. He was wearing white robes. His hyung must have dressed him up. Opening the door. He found no one in the halls. Baekhyun shrugged his shoulders. He was starving. Last night’s activities tired him out.  
  
As he passed by a room, Baekhyun heard his hyung’s voice and stopped once his name was mentioned.  
  
_“Should we push the wedding with Baekhyun earlier?”_  
  
It was the general’s voice.  
  
_“That seems the best way,”_ Chanyeol replied, _“We need to gain the officials’ support and loyalty or else I could be ousted from the throne.”_  
  
_“Baekhyun is your only chance, your highness,”_ the general continued, _“The opposition against you is rising. Some people want to limit the royal family’s power. They are, one by one, disallowing the political involvement of the other princes. They have demobilized the private armies of the princes. It won’t be long until they strike against you.”  
  
“I know. I’m so relieved that Baekhyun is not disagreeing with the marriage.”  
  
“Choosing him as your fiancé really paid off well. He would ensure that you would stay in the throne. His family’s influence would be enough to pacify the officials’ opposition”_  
  
Baekhyun could not take it anymore and quickly walked away.  
  
Why did he feel objectified? Did his hyung choose him to further his political career? Was he just a pawn in this game all along?  
  
“You heard them?”  
  
The young one raised his head and saw Taeho leaning on a post, “You finally knew the real reason why Chanyeol chose you?”  
  
Baekhyun glared at the older. He had no time to hear Taeho’s mocking tone. He did not want to face anyone right now.  
  
“You are convenient, Baekhyun,” Taeho taunted.  
  
“The king is in love with you?” Taeho scoffed, “Chanyeol is in love with the idea of cementing his position as the king of the empire. You are just a tool, Baekhyun. The affection that Chanyeol showed you is just a way to control you – to have you on his palm. Naivety would take you nowhere, Baekhyun.”  
  
“I won’t believe any of your words,” Baekhyun firmly said.  
  
“Eh,” Taeho smiled innocently, “But you heard Chanyeol clearly. The king wants to move your wedding day closer because of the uprising opposition against him and the royal family.”  
  
The young one just shook his head and was about to walk away when the older harshly grabbed his arm, “You are really impolite to be the future spouse of the king.”  
  
Baekhyun retaliated. His arm was bruising because of the tight hold on him.  
  
“Chanyeol cherishes power, his political influence,” Taeho continued, “And you, my dear, is the key that would help him further his political career.”  
  
The young one just shook his head.  
  
“Look, did he ever tell you that he loves you?”  
  
Baekhyun stilled at the question. Last night, he uttered the words but the older did not reciprocate them. Doubt was starting to build up. When he confessed, the king did not answer him and instead just buried his head on the younger’s neck. Baekhyun who was too tired at that time did not bother eliciting a response from the older. All the affections that his hyung showed, are they all mere acts?  
  
And the conversation he overheard just now… It came straight from his hyung’s mouth – Baekhyun would be his key to stay on the throne. He was just another accessory – a possession. He had no choice in the marriage. His agreement with the upcoming marriage was not brought up – everyone assumed that he was all right with the wedding. No one bothered to ask for his opinion and for his input.  
  
His hyung did not even ask if Baekhyun wanted to get married.  
  
What if all this time, his hyung was showing affection just to make sure that Baekhyun would not reject the marriage?  
  
With these realizations, all this time, Baekhyun felt used.  
  
_Did his father know all about this?_  
  
“Father…” Baekhyun whispered once he remembered his old man.  
  
Taeho sensed his inner struggle and smiled as he hit the right spot. Slowly, the older let the confused Baekhyun go.  
  
“It’s not yet too late to go back and not push through with the wedding.”  
  
_Too much… everything was sinking in and it was all too much._  
  
It was heavy heart to carry. Rational thinking tells him to walk away from everything – the palace life, the political struggle, his hyung – but his heart which have grown fonder tells him to give his hyung a chance. After all, no one could feign such fondness and tenderness that his hyung had shown, right?  
  
Baekhyun was conflicted. He needed to getaway.  
  
With hurried steps, Baekhyun went back to his chambers and grabbed the simplest hood robe that he could find. He quickly wore the robe and hid his face using the hood. It was a simple black one – perfect for concealing his small face. There was no time to waste. He needed to move fast, or else someone could see him. He also grabbed the limited coins that he had.  
  
Baekhyun needed his father’s reassurance.  
  
Knowing what happened the past few weeks, the palace was alert. No one could easily enter and leave the palace without a valid reason. However, Baekhyun knew a hidden way to enter and leave the palace. He had wandered around the palace so much that he happened to stumble upon a secret route found near one of the palace gardens. It was an old and obviously not managed route.  
  
Baekhyun had to duck and avoid wild bushes and branches that littered around the narrow track. He did not care that he was using his bare hands. Thorns had managed to pierce the skin of his arms, but Baekhyun had no time to stall. Anyone in the palace could notice his absence. Chanyeol would surely search every nook and cranny for him.  
  
The Byun household was a little bit far away from the palace. Without a horse, it would surely take Baekhyun a while to reach his home. He would need to pass through the empire’s capital, hence he needed to conceal his face since the citizens already knew him. From the main city, he needed to find someone who could take him back home. He could probably hitch a ride with the merchants from his hometown that travel all the way to the city with their goods.  
  
Baekhyun’s first stop was the market. The market was full when he reached it. People were buzzing through and fro as they tried to haggle with some merchants. It was loud, noisy, and crowded. Baekhyun had been bumped into a lot of times.  
  
His pulled down his hood as he lowered his head to conceal his face. It was congested. People could easily see his face if he was not careful. As Baekhyun walked, he avoided people’s gazes. He had to find the merchants from his town whose specialty were dairy products. Upon reaching the area of the city market that sells dairy, Baekhyun eyed the merchants and heaved a relieved sigh when he noticed some familiar faces.  
  
Fortunately, it was already afternoon. The merchants, who were selling their products since morning, now had to return to their town as they finished selling. The merchants were already preparing to travel back home. Some had their horse-drawn cart ready and some were still springing their carts to their old horses.  
  
Baekhyun went to the one that finished first. It was an old man, probably even older than his own father. Fine lines decorated his face. The old merchant looked astute.  
  
“Uhm,” Baekhyun cleared his throat, “Could you perhaps lend me a ride back home?”  
  
The old man turned around, “There is no space for you, young man. My cart is already full of today’s unsold products.”  
  
“I can pay you,” Baekhyun said. He was willing to give the man every penny on his pocket. Although it was not much, the amount he had would suffice for a ride.  
  
The old man accepted the money, but Baekhyun had to stay at the back, in the cart. The ride was uncomfortable. Baekhyun was sitting on the cart floor and the ride was bumpy. He had nothing to hold onto, so Baekhyun had to balance himself. The cart also smelled like spoilt dairy products. Baekhyun scrunched his nose as he tried to keep himself from vomiting.  
  
It took a while before they reached the town.  
  
As soon as Baekhyun had seen the familiar town, the young one immediately got down from the cart and walked towards their own household after saying a simple thank you to the old man. With hasty steps, Baekhyun reached their opened gate. His brows furrowed. _Why are the gates opened?_  
  
Baekhyun entered the household. It was way too quiet. Usually, a few servants would litter around the front lawn.  
  
“Father! It’s Baekhyun! I have come to visit you!” Baekhyun shouted as he went inside the manor.  
  
Upon going inside, Baekhyun’s eyes widened at the sight. The servants were all knocked down. Baekhyun quickly went to the nearest one and checked his pulse. He heaved a relief sigh when he felt a faint beating. The young Byun looked around and searched for his father but did not find him among the unconscious servants.  
  
_Where is father?_  
  
Baekhyun’s heart began beating loudly. Without wasting time, the young one dashed towards his father’s chambers. HIs father was weak. He was old. Although his father had fought wards alongside with the previous king, the Byun patriarch was not as strong as he was during his youth. His father was also sick.  
  
“Father! Father!”  
  
Baekhyun frantically opened his father’s door.  
  
His old man was tied to his bed post – his eyes brimming with tears while shaking his head at his youngest. His mouth was gagged. He was also bloody. Baekhyun was about to ran towards him when he was stopped by a voice.  
  
“Not so fast, Baekhyun.”  
  
A man stepped towards his father, pointing a small knife onto the Byun patriarch’s neck.  
  
“What are you doing Taeho?!” Baekhyun asked, enraged.  
  
HIs main concern was the safety of his father. One wrong move and it could cost his father’s life. For sure, Taeho did not come alone. Their servants were all knocked down and one man could not do that alone. As far as he knew, Taeho had his own private army. Baekhyun glanced at his father. Although he is old, Byun Baekho was a good strategist. To be able to tie him in a post meant that Baekhyun should not underestimate Taeho.  
  
“What took you so long, Baekhyun?” Taeho shrugged, “I was waiting for you for a long time.”  
  
Taeho must had gone after him. Baekhyun did not notice anyone keeping an eye on him. The prince must had seen him fleeing the palace. There was only one place he would go to – his father’s home. The prince knew this and took the chance to go their household with his own army.  
  
“What do you want?” Baekhyun panted. He needed time to think – to come up with an action plan.  
  
“I want the throne,” Taeho said firmly, “And for me to have that throne, I need you out of the way, Baekhyun.”  
  
Of course, it is the throne. Chanyeol was right about not trusting Taeho. Taeho looked kind and innocent, but he had his own motives and agendas.  
  
“The opposition against Chanyeol is all a plot by me,” Taeho chuckled, “I have gained enough support from some of the citizens. Now, all I need is the support of the officials. Official Byun here would not endorse me even though I have threatened him many times with your life.”  
  
Baekhyun looked at his father confusedly, “Many times?”  
  
Taeho maniacally laughed, “Oh, naïve little Baekhyun… You don’t know a thing, do you?”  
  
The older Byun whimpered, trying to interject in the conversation.  
  
“I have threatened Official Byun with your life ever since you were young. Your father had done a great deal to keep you safe within his own household, but he knew that he was weakening. He would never be able to keep you safe with the rate that he is deteriorating. Then comes Chanyeol.”  
  
Baekhyun gulped. He had a feeling to where it was going.  
  
“Chanyeol wanted you and made a deal with Official Byun to keep you safe as long as you marry him. Byun Baekho, in return, would endorse Chanyeol to the palace officials.”  
  
The young Byun looked at his father with hurt in his eyes. How much did his father keep from him?  
  
“You made it all possible for Chanyeol to have the throne, Baekhyun. Without you, everything that he had built would collapse.”  
  
Chanyeol was a rugged king. Coming from his training in the distant lands, the young King had led different wars and had dealt with barbaric tribes. Such was frowned upon by the new generation. The commoners, who take the brunt of the aftereffect of the wars, wanted change. They wanted a gentle leader.  
  
Taeho fit the description.  
  
Because Taeho was just a prince, he had more time to mingle with the public. All these years, he was planning to get the public’s support by being a visible persona. The king had more on his plate, and Chanyeol did not possess Taeho’s innocent and gentle looks. The king was more on the rugged side.  
  
“What do you want, Taeho?”  
  
“I want you gone,” Taeho hissed, “Mother said that the throne should have been mine. Mother should have been the queen. I should have been the king!—“  
  
“Taeho! Please!” Baekhyun pleaded as Taeho began to lose it, digging the knife into his father’s neck. “We can leave the town! We can leave the empire! But please spare me and my father!”  
  
Taeho scoffed, “Do you think Chanyeol will not stop looking for you? He would look for you Baekhyun. He had enough influence to know where you will go. He will always find you.”  
  
Baekhyun tried to examine the older prince. _Is he mentally unstable?_  
  
The young Byun tried to circle the two while raising his hand in defeat.  
  
“Don’t come closer, Baekhyun,” Taeho threatened, “You know what will happen to your father.”  
  
Baekhyun stopped exactly in front of the floorboard in his father’s bedroom. He knew that his father always hid his weapons inside the floorboards of their household. The problem was on how to acquire the weapons. Opening the floorboard would take too much time. If Baekhyun opened it, Taeho would know and the latter would absolutely waste no time in slashing his father’s neck.  
  
He needed to distract Taeho.  
  
_But how?_  
  
Baekhyun’s eyes found his father’s. It took one look for Baekhyun to understand what his father was trying to convey through his gazes. The young Byun curled his fists. It was now or never.  
  
“You were the one who injured my horse,” Baekhyun stated, “You were also the one that put the poison in the tea during the engagement ceremony.”  
  
Taeho laughed, “Took you awhile to figure that out, huh?”  
  
The prince was slightly distracted. Baekhyun could see how the prince loosened his hold on the small knife.  
  
“The horse you rode was not the same horse as the one that the official royal trainer had examined for safety. The two looked the same. The one you had ridden was the one that was injured. She is not too injured though, it took a while for her to feel the pain and bolt out.”  
  
“Then why did you save me?” Baekhyun asked in aghast.  
  
Taeho shrugged his shoulders, “So the suspicions won’t be directed at me. It worked, Baekhyun. Chanyeol who was too proud to even talk to me thanked me albeit not wholeheartedly.”  
  
“Why did you try to poison Chanyeol then?”  
  
“The poison was not meant for Chanyeol,” Taeho clarified, “It was meant for you. Chanyeol will not die because of the poison. The poison was not that strong kill a man like Chanyeol. It was meant to frame you, but that did not work. Chanyeol was able to control it and hid the fact that he was poisoned from the public eye.”  
  
Baekhyun shivered. If the public knew about the poisoning incident, Baekhyun would absolutely face death as a punishment for trying to kill the king.  
  
“Why me? Why are you trying to get rid of me?” Baekhyun softly asked.  
  
“Killing Chanyeol is not an option,” Taeho said bitterly, “If I killed Chanyeol, the next in line would be Joonmyeon. It would be easier to have the throne by getting the support of the officials and the citizens.”  
  
“You’re sick,” Baekhyun said disgustingly.  
  
“Oh no, honey,” Taeho taunted, “I am not. No one would know my crimes. In the eyes of the public, I am the gentle prince who is loyal to the king and the empire. They would know me as the prince who tried to save the king’s future spouse and Official Baekho from the attack of barbaric tribes from the north. However, I was too late. Official Baekho was already slain with his youngest.”  
  
Taeho planned it all. He would show that he was the hero who tried to protect the Byuns. Doing so would merit him the support of the officials who were loyal to Baekho.  
  
The prince, who was too engrossed talking with Baekhyun, did not notice Baekho kicking him on the shin.  
  
“Ah!” Taeho screamed as he stumbled to the floor. Although Baekho was old, he still knew the delicate points of the man. With the right amount of strength and targeting the correct part, Baekho caught Taeho off guard.  
  
Baekhyun quickly opened the floorboard and grabbed the first weapon he could. It was a small knife. Every moment was crucial. With every passing second, Taeho could recover from the assault and kill his father. Without second thoughts, Baekhyun threw the knife at Taeho’s direction – aiming at the prince’s right hand where the knife was held. Another scream escaped Taeho’s mouth. The knife landed directly on his palm, pinning the hand on the floor.  
  
Grabbing another of his father’s old knife from the floorboard, the young Byun quickly went to his father and released the older from being tied to the post while Taeho was trying to pry off the sharp knife off his palm, letting out screams of pain.  
  
“You are going to pay for this, bitch.”  
  
Baekhyun turned around and saw Taeho swinging his non-bloodied arm towards his direction. Catching Baekhyun off guard, Taeho was able to slash his left arm. Blood started to trickle down the young Byun’s arm. It was a deep gash.  
  
“Father!” Baekhyun said as he tried to get away from Taeho’s violent slashing, “Please run away and ask for help!”  
  
Baekho wanted to stay, but seeing the determined look on his youngest’s face, he knew that his little sun would be able to handle himself. He, himself, trained Baekhyun after all. Baekho was battered and he was tired. Staying meant that Baekhyun needed to protect him too. He could barely walk. He could only limp. With a nod, he limped off and fled away. He needed to call and alert the king.  
  
Taeho saw the old man trying to get away and was about to stop the latter when Baekhyun lunged towards him, pushing him down the floor and straddling him to stop him from moving. The young Byun pinned the prince’s arms above his head. However, Taeho was able to release his bloody right hand, throwing a punch on the face of the young Byun.  
  
Baekhyun groaned at the sudden pain. His eyes wavered a little. Taeho used to opportunity to reverse their position, pinning Baekhyun on the floor and slamming the younger’s head on the hardwood.  
  
“You little bitch!” Taeho’s voice thundered as he placed his blade on Baekhyun’s throat.  
  
Baekhyun whimpered as he felt the cold knife on his skin. His head was pounding. He was losing blood from the deep laceration on his arm. He could feel the subtle pain on his neck area where a small gash was made. Drop of bloods started trickle down as Taeho pressed the blade even farther. He needed to move or else he could die.  
  
Quickly, Baekhyun swung his hand, burying the knife that he was carrying onto the prince’s shoulder deeply.  
  
Taeho let out howls of pain.  
  
Baekhyun pushed the older off him and started to run towards the door to escape, praying that he would not meet Taeho’s army along the way. He needed to find his father. They needed to escape and run away. Taeho had his own private army. They were only two. They would surely lose against an army of palace soldiers.  
  
As he opened the door, Baekhyun bumped into a broad shoulder. He looked up and saw Chanyeol’s dour face. His jaws were set while his eyes were trained on the older prince. He had a murderous look on.  
  
Baekhyun’s vision began to fail him. His head felt lighter and his surroundings became blurry. The last thing that he remembered as he let unconsciousness take over was his hyung’s worried calls.  
  
_“Baekhyun! Baekhyun!”_  
  
  
  
  
  
Baekhyun woke up because of the rays of sunlight that hit his face. He groaned at the discomfort. He was about to shield his eyes from the light when he felt something heavy lying on his hand. Baekhyun opened his eyes and found his hyung who was laying his head down the young Byun’s right hand.  
  
The king who was deeply asleep was carefully holding onto the younger’s hand. Baekhyun spent a few minutes examining his hyung’s features. The king’s hair was disheveled and unkempt. His ears were sticking out from his long hair. Baekhyun chuckled as he played with the ears. The king groaned because of the action. His eyes fluttering as he tried to adjust to the sunlight passing through Baekhyun’s huge windows.  
  
“B-Baekhyun?” Chanyeol raised his head and saw the young one already awake, “Are you hurt? Do you need something?”  
  
“My head still feels light,” Baekhyun said honestly, “and my left arm is numb, but overall, I think I’m alright.”  
  
“Oh, thank god,” the king released a deep breath as he encircled his arms around the younger, kissing the younger’s temple softly, “I thought we were late. I was afraid”  
  
Baekhyun caught his hyung’s arms and pulled them away, “We need to talk, your majesty.”  
  
Chanyeol stilled at the formality present in Baekhyun’s voice. The king sighed. He was expecting it. A palace servant had heard and seen Taeho and Baekhyun’s conversation before the young Byun decided to leave the palace and go to his father. The servant told the king about how Baekhyun overheard his conversation with the grand general. Taeho also fueled Baekhyun’s doubts.  
  
“You are right. We need to talk.”  
  
“Is my father safe?” Baekhyun started.  
  
Chanyeol nodded, “He is in the palace too. He is recuperating from his injuries in a special room. The palace doctors examined him and deemed it better for your father to stay in the palace so that they could supervise and monitor his health.”  
  
Baekhyun released a relieved sigh.  
  
“Taeho… what happened to him?”  
  
“He would be executed,” Chanyeol said as his face darkened. “I cannot break the laws for my brother, sunshine. Your father has testified against him – about Taeho’s plot to kill you and me. Anyone who tries to kill the current king will be punished with death. The elders made sure that the law is upheld. HIs mother, the concubine, will be banished from the kingdom. The uprisings that Taeho created are already pacified.”  
  
“The throne,” Baekyun continued, “It is now securely yours, right?”  
  
The king nodded.  
  
“Then, there is no need for marriage.”  
  
Chanyeol whipped his head up to look at the younger, “What are you saying?”  
  
“You needed me to secure your place on the throne, hyung,” Baekhyun said, his eyes avoiding the older, “Now that there is no threat to the throne, you do not need to continue this charade. There is no need for a wedding. My father will continue supporting you, I assure of you that.”  
  
“Baekhyun,” his hyung said firmly, “I want the marriage because I want you, Byun Baekhyun, not because I need you to secure my throne. I do not need to marry you to gain your father’s support. I had his support all this time and do you know why, sunshine?  
  
Baekhyun shook his head.  
  
“Your father knew that I genuinely care for you and that I love you.”  
  
“You love me?” Baekhyun repeated, his cheeks blushing, “When I told you I love you, you did not respond.”  
  
The king laughed, “I thought my actions were clear. Baekhyun, everything I do for you, I do it for love. Everyone around you knows how much I love you.”  
  
“Then what I heard between you and the general—“  
  
“You should have stayed,” the king laughed softly, “If you only stayed to hear the rest of the conversation, you would have heard how I would give up the throne just to be with you and make sure that you are safe.”  
  
“The empire would not make me happy, Baekhyun,” Chanyeol continued, “You are my happiness, my sunshine. I would be a fool to choose the empire over you. I have waited eighteen summers just to officially make you mine.”  
  
“Eighteen summers?” Baekhyun asked incredulously.  
  
“Yes,” Chanyeol chuckled, “I practically asked for your hand from your father when I told him that I would come back for you when I first met you when you were just four summers old.”  
  
“What?” Baekhyun asked in aghast.  
  
“It was a tradition – saying that I would come back for you when the time is right meant that I would be back when you are ready to get married. When I left, your father would send me letters about your growth. In return, I would send gifts during special occasions.”  
  
“I love you, hyung,” Baekhyun confessed, “From a young age, I knew that I want to stay by your side forever.”  
  
“Let’s do this right, sunshine,” Chanyeol said.  
  
The younger looked at the taller confusedly.  
  
The taller stood up and knelt in front of Baekhyun.  
  
“Byun Baekhyun,” Chanyeol smiled warmly at the younger, “I am presenting myself not as the Phoenix king but as your hyung, Park Chanyeol. I have long, long, long, loved you. You were just a toddler, but I had always felt the magnitude of my affinity to your warmth. You are the sunshine that colored my dull and jejune life. It would only take one word from you – to determine my happiness or to silence me forever. Would will you marry me?”  
  
The younger could see the ardent desire mirrored upon his hyung’s face – it was full of hope. And who was Baekhyun to deny his hyung?  
  
“Yes,” Baekhyun nodded, “Yes, yes, yes.”  
  
His hyung stood up and captured his dry lips in a blissful kiss. It was soft and fragile. It was sweet. Baekhyun could feel his heart beating – loudly, resonating with sincere happiness and love. He never felt so alive until that moment.  
  
It was paradise.  
  
“Let’s always choose to love each other until kingdom come.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Baekhyun felt uncomfortable.  
  
It was hot and humid. The sun was shining brightly for it was the middle of summer. People were crowding the palace. The layers of robes that he donned were only adding to the temperature rise that he was feeling. He had at least four layers and it was summer. The robes were a wedding ceremonial garb. The inner wear was white. The main clothing was red while an over layer of royal blue robes decorated the ensemble. Gold swirls and design were delicately embroidered to his garb. HIs hair was tied up – a huge headpiece was placed on his head.  
  
He was also wearing jewelries. On the headpiece alone, the value of gems used as decoration could probably feed a hundred people. HIs eyes were lined with dark kohl, his lashes were curled too, accentuating his pallor beautifully. His lids were colored with soft pink and orange which reminded him of summers. His lips were also tinted with pink while two red dots were placed on his cheeks.  
  
Or maybe, Baekhyun was uncomfortable not because of the temperature and his grand clothing but because of the ceremony that was happening.  
  
It was the royal wedding after all.  
  
Baekhyun was happy, nonetheless. He could just not help but feel the butterflies. This was dream come true. The palace was opened to the public. Everyone was witnessing the wedding and happiness was radiating. The music was also lively and upbeat. The atmosphere was festive. It showed how the royal couple was well-loved.  
  
A gentle squeeze cut Baekhyun from his reverie. He smiled at his father who was sitting beside him. They were waiting for the king to enter the courtyard.  
  
Horns, gongs, and the drums played the wedding beat – signaling to everyone that the prince was about to enter the spacious palace yard.  
  
From afar, Baekhyun saw the king walking with Prince Joonmyeon. The king was wearing grander robes too. His were royal blue in color with his golden phoenix symbol embroidered onto the clothing. His hair was pushed back – showing his forehead and accentuating his pointed nose. Baekhyun could clearly see his hyung’s face. His ears were also sticking out because of the hat placed on his head. He was regal in walking, with a presence that commanded everyone to give attention to the king.  
  
Prince Joonmyeon on his side was holding onto the wild goose. The wild goose would be the groom’s gift to his spouse’s family. It symbolizes forever – that the couple will be loyal and affectionate with each other until kingdom come. The wild geese mate for life. They symbolized self-donation and commitment.  
  
Once the king and the prince reached Baekho, the two bowed deeply at the old man. Chanyeol received the goose from the prince and offered it to Baekhyun’s father, bowing twice at the older as a sign of deep respect and gratitude. Baekho smiled and nodded as he accepted the goose.  
  
Baekhyun released a relieved sigh. Not accepting the goose meant not accepting the marriage.  
  
The groom and the bridegroom were ushered by two helpers each to a mat placed in the middle of the courtyard. Chanyeol was asked to stand on the east side while Baekhyun was at the west side. The two were facing each other. Baekhyun, with the help of the palace servants, bowed twice. His robes and headpiece were too heavy for him alone that he needed helpers in bowing.  
  
The king bowed once back to him.  
  
Baekhyun bowed again twice, slowly, for he felt that if he did it quickly, his headpiece would fall off. He smiled the the thought. If it, indeed, happened, everyone would be out of their wits.  
  
Then, the king made a deep bow and knelt in front of the younger.  
  
The couple were seated on the mat, again facing each other. The palace servants began serving side dishes and rice wine on the middle of the two – the bowls were placed strategically near the king and his future spouse. There were a lot, Baekhyun noticed. They had been sitting for a while and the palace servants were not yet through serving the dishes.  
  
Once everything was served, the wedding helpers poured out the drink onto two drinking bowls made of gourd dipper. The cups were given to the two couple and they raised it to the heavens, offering the wine to the heavenly gods. Chanyeol chanted a small prayer – his voice resolute and firm. After the short prayer, Baekhyun and the king drank from the cups. The helpers got the cups and exchanged them. Baekhyun had to drink from his hyung’s cup and the latter from his own cup.  
  
With the help of the palace servants, Baekhyun stood up. The king was already on his feet when the young Byun raised his head. His hyung smiled gently at him as he walked closer to Baekhyun, offering his arm to the younger. Baekhyun snaked his arm around the older’s as they turned around to face the crowd.  
  
Baekhyun gasped at the magnitude of the number of people present. The whole palace courtyard was filled with people. There were people as far as Baekhyun’s eyes could reach. All of them are cheering for the two.  
  
The royal couple walked towards the center. Baekhyun untangled his arm from Chanyeol’s and the two started bowing deeply to the people as the royal announcer presented them as spouses. The cheers became louder. The couple raised their bodies, Chanyeol smiled at the crowd as he waved his hand.  
  
Baekhyun gulped. It was official – he was now the half of this empire’s leader. He had reign over the people, he had responsibilities over them. Chanyeol, sensing his worries, squeezed his hand.  
  
“We’ll do this together, sunshine,” Chanyeol whispered, “I’ll always stay by your side.”  
  
Baekhyun smiled at the people as he waved his hand too.  
  
“You should be worried for yourself later tonight,” Chanyeol’s breath intimately fanned his left ear, sending shivers down Baekhyun’s back, “I think I’ve held myself for too long from worshipping your body and soul.”  
  
The young Byun’s face flushed at the suggestive tone. Baekhyun decided to abstain from anything intimate with Chanyeol until their marriage. When he told his hyung about his decision, the older complained – it was no use, he said, for they had already done it. But Baekhyun was resolute with his decision. Chanyeol respected it in the end and stayed true to his promise of not touching Baekhyun even if the two were always sleeping beside each other.  
  
Baekhyun turned his head towards his hyung and was immediately met with soft lips. The king pecked his pink lips, making the crowd swoon and coo at the display of affection.  
  
“Hyung,” Baekhyun whined, “Stop doing this in public.”  
  
“Why?” Chanyeol acted mortified, “Can’t I show my love to my husband in front of our loyal subjects?”  
  
Baekhyun smiled. He liked the ring of the word _husband_. It was pleasant and wonderful.  
  
“Did you know what the oracle said about our marriage?” The king continued.  
  
The young one shook his head.  
  
“She said that the gods would give us prosperity,” the older continued, “and many children.”  
  
Baekhyun slapped the older’s chest as the older laughed triumphantly, “We need to start making them if we want to have many children.”  
  
Of course, they needed to provide an heir to the empire. Baekhyun already knew it. His tutor was adamant on reminding him that it was one of his responsibilities as the spouse of the king. Although Baekhyun cringed at the term _responsibility_. Having children was not just a mere responsibility – it was gift and a task.  
  
Baekhyun smiled as he tried to picture it: little Chanyeols and Baekhyuns loitering around the palace, giving major headaches to the palace servants – half of him and half of Chanyeol, all made from love.  
  
“I love you.”  
  
The king proclaimed. It was a simple sentence, yet it was powerful. It was sincere and genuine – three words that made Baekhyun incandescently happy.  
  
Baekhyun would not have it any other way.  
  
“I love you, too, my king.”  
  
  
  
  
  
  
“The young crown prince Chanhyun is missing!”  
  
The servants quickly stopped what they were doing when they heard the scream from one of the servants taking care of the crown prince. With hasty steps, the servants surveyed the palace. Losing the young heir meant losing their lives. The king, who was known for great devotion to his family, was unforgiving, especially when it concerns his child. The young crown prince always had a soft spot in their master’s heart. Clearly, he was a well-loved child.  
  
“Did you find him?” A cleaning lady asked, “We need to find him soon before the king and his spouse find out!”  
  
The young Chanhyun was just four summers old but he had already captured the whole household’s heart because of his adorable antics. With his chubby, red cheeks and his stumpy stature, the young one was loved dearly and was well protected by everyone. However, he was also quite naughty and had always caused a ruckus. Nonetheless, the servants adored the little prince.  
  
“We need to alert the king!”  
  
“No, we absolutely cannot!” Another servant vehemently disagreed, “The king is busy today. He needs to be with master Baekhyun. His highness Baekhyun already started his labor. Any time today, the master could give birth to Chanhyun’s younger sibling. We cannot disturb them.”  
  
Without the servants knowing, a small chuckle escaped the youngest Byun’s lips. He was currently under the dinner table, surveying the feet that were walking to and fro looking for him and not caring that his robes were soiled. Hide and seek had always been his favorite game. He used to play it with his father and papa when he was younger, but once he turned four, his parents turned busier because his papa was pregnant with his little sister.  
  
Chanhyun was the perfect mixture of Baekhyun and Chanyeol. He had his father’s ears and eyes. His smile, however, was like his papa’s – rectangular and bright. His smooth skin was from his papa too. HIs nose was from his father. It was high and pointy. HIs soft and silky hair and pouty lips were from his papa too.  
  
_My little sister is growing inside papa’s huge tummy. Chanhyunnie needs to protect younger sister once she comes out.(/i >  
  
Chanhyunnie nodded as he made a little flower crown with the flowers he picked from the palace gardens.  
  
He smiled as he yawned. His papa had been experiencing stomachache since this morning. Chanhyun wanted to be with him but the palace servants carried him out of his parents’ chambers. Taking a nap under the table would not hurt, right? The servants can keep on looking for him. If they saw him sleeping, Chanhyunnie would not get reprimanded because he was sleeping. They would also transport him back to his fluffy bed because he was asleep.  
  
Chanhyunnie deemed it a good plan. Nodding as he curled himself on the floor.  
  
_Older brother will wait for you, little sister._  
_


End file.
